{ "culture": "en-US", "name": "", "guid": "", "catalogPath": "", "snippet": "These data represent critical habitat proposed for designation (November 30, 2023) under the Endangered Species Act for the coral Acropora globiceps at 16 island units in total - 4 in American Samoa (Tutuila, Ofu & Olosega, Ta'u, and Rose Atoll), 9 in the Mariana Islands (Guam, Rota, Aguijan, Tinian, Saipan, Alamagan, Pagan, Maug, and Uracas), 2 in the Pacific Remote Islands (Palmyra Atoll and Johnston Atoll), and 1 in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (French Frigate Shoals). Please refer to the Code of Federal Regulations and the supporting information report for more details and consider the regulatory language when using these spatial data. \nhttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/proposed-rule-designate-critical-habitat-indo-pacific-corals", "description": "
Specific areas of critical habitat for the Indo-Pacific coral species <\/SPAN>Acropora globiceps<\/SPAN> proposed for designation include marine area around 16 island units with suitable hard-bottom habitat within one of 3 depth ranges (0-20 m for Tutuila, Ofu & Olosega, and Ta'u; 0-12 m for Guam and CNMI units, and 0-10 m for Rose Atoll, Palmyra Atoll, Johnston Atoll and French Frigate Shoals), as described below.<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/P> Specific areas of critical habitat were<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>delineated<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>in<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>four steps:<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>(1)<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>General<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>information<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>was used<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>to<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>delineate soft<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>vs. hard<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>substrates,<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>leaving<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>only<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>hard<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>substrate<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>areas;<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>(2)<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>for<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>the<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>hard<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>substrate<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>areas<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>identified<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>in Step<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>1,<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>specific<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>substrate<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>information<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>was used<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>to delineate<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>unsuitable<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>vs.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>suitable hard<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>substrates, leaving<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>only<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>the<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>latter;<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>(3)<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>for<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>the<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>suitable<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>hard<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>substrate<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>areas identified<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>in<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>Step<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>2,<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>we<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>used<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>water quality<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>information<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>to<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>further<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>delineate<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>suitable<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>vs.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>unsuitable<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>areas;<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>and<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>(4)<\/SPAN><\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>from the<\/SPAN><\/SPAN>