§ 226.232 Critical habitat for

Critical habitat is designated in the following jurisdictions for the following species as depicted in figures 1 through 27 of this section and described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. The maps can be viewed or obtained with greater resolution (available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/critical-habitat#critical-habitat-designations-maps-and-gis-data) to enable a more precise inspection of the critical habitat for A. globiceps, A. retusa, A. speciosa, F. paradivisa, and I. crateriformis. (a) Critical habitat locations. Critical habitat is designated for the following species in the following jurisdictions: Table 1 to Paragraph (a) (b) Critical habitat boundaries. Except as noted in paragraph (d) of this section, critical habitat for the five species includes all specific areas depicted in figures 1 through 27 of this section. (c) Essential feature. The feature essential to the conservation of A. globiceps, A. retusa, A. speciosa, F. paradivisa and I. crateriformis is: Sites that support the normal function of all life stages of the corals, including reproduction, recruitment, and maturation. These sites are natural, consolidated hard substrate or dead coral skeleton, which is free of algae and sediment at the appropriate scale at the point of larval settlement or fragment reattachment, and the associated water column. Several attributes of these sites determine the quality of the area and influence the value of the associated feature to the conservation of the species: (1) Substrate with presence of crevices and holes that provide cryptic habitat, the presence of microbial biofilms, or presence of crustose coralline algae; (2) Reefscape with no more than a thin veneer of sediment and low occupancy by fleshy and turf macroalgae; (3) Marine water with levels of temperature, aragonite saturation, nutrients, and water clarity that have been observed to support any demographic function; and (4) Marine water with levels of anthropogenically-introduced (from humans) chemical contaminants that do not preclude or inhibit any demographic function. (d) Areas not included in critical habitat. Critical habitat does not include the following particular areas where they overlap with the areas described in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section: (1) Pursuant to ESA section 4(a)(3)(B)(i), all areas subject to the 2023 Wake Island and 2019 Joint Region Marianas INRMPs; (2) Managed areas that do not provide the quality of substrate essential for the conservation of the five Indo-Pacific corals are defined as particular areas whose consistently disturbed nature renders them poor habitat for coral growth and survival over time. These managed areas include specific areas where the substrate has been disturbed by planned management authorized by local, territorial, state, or Federal governmental entities at the time of critical habitat designation, and will continue to be periodically disturbed by such management. Examples include, but are not necessarily limited to, dredged navigation channels, shipping basins, vessel berths, and active anchorages. Specific federally-authorized channels and harbors considered as managed areas not included in the designations are: (i) Pago Pago Harbor. (ii) Aunu'u Harbor. (iii) Auasi Harbor. (iv) Ofu Harbor. (v) Ta'u Harbor. (vi) Faleasao Harbor. (vii) Apra Harbor. (viii) Agat Harbor. (iv) Agana Harbor. (x) Rota Harbor. (xi) Tinian Harbor. (xii) Saipan Harbor. (3) Existing artificial substrates including but not limited to: fixed and floating structures, such as aids-to-navigation (AToNs), seawalls, wharves, boat ramps, fishpond walls, pipes, submarine cables, wrecks, mooring balls, docks, aquaculture cages. (e) Critical habitat maps. The specific areas of critical habitat within the 18 units for the 5 listed coral species are shown in figures 1 through 27 of this section. Spatial data for these critical habitats and mapping tools are maintained on our website and are available for public use (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/critical-habitat).