Alternative Text Description for Blue Whale Section 7 Consultation Area

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the Section 7 Consultation Area for Blue Whale within marine waters. The map identifies a specific geographic zone where federal action agencies are recommended to conduct consultations under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act due to the spatial and temporal occurrence of Blue Whale life stages, behaviors, and potentially critical habitat. The hatched polygon represents the designated consultation area where Blue Whale presence warrants consideration in federal project planning and environmental review.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map shows a marine area depicted as a large water body with light blue coloring. A small portion of land is visible in the upper left corner of the map frame. The consultation area appears as an elongated polygon zone extending horizontally across the central portion of the map, oriented roughly east-west. The mapped area represents a section of waters within the NOAA Southeast Region jurisdiction. The specific ocean or coastal location cannot be definitively identified from the map view alone, though it represents marine waters within the Southeast Regional Office's area of responsibility.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Blue Whale Section 7 Consultation Area occupies a distinct horizontal band across the marine environment shown in this map view. The consultation zone has clearly defined boundaries forming an elongated polygon that extends across much of the map's width. The area represents a specific geographic zone where Blue Whale occurrence has been documented or is expected based on the best available scientific information. Waters both north and south of the consultation area polygon are not designated for Blue Whale consultation requirements at this location and scale.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Blue Whale Section 7 Consultation Area

This layer represents the geographic area where NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office recommends federal action agencies conduct Section 7 consultations for Blue Whale.

Blue Whale Consultation Zone (diagonal crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The consultation area is depicted as a polygon filled with a diagonal crosshatch pattern in blue lines over a slightly lighter blue background, creating a mesh or grid appearance that distinguishes it from surrounding waters.

Distribution:

The consultation area appears as a single, continuous elongated polygon positioned horizontally across the central portion of the map, roughly occupying the middle third of the vertical extent of the marine area shown.

Notable locations:

The polygon extends across most of the map's horizontal extent from west to east. The northern boundary of the consultation area is relatively straight, while the southern boundary has some angular variations. The western edge appears to extend nearly to the map frame, while the eastern edge terminates before reaching the map boundary.

Spatial patterns:

The consultation area forms a distinct horizontal corridor through the marine environment. The zone appears to represent a specific depth range, migration route, or habitat area used by Blue Whale. The linear east-west orientation suggests the area may correspond to offshore waters at a particular distance from shore or within a specific bathymetric zone.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns with other thematic layers are present in this map view, as only the Blue Whale consultation area is displayed.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents consultation guidance for federal action agencies rather than a comprehensive range map or habitat map for Blue Whale. Areas outside the depicted consultation zone may still contain Blue Whale or require consultation, particularly in areas where data limitations exist or where activities may affect waters within proximity to the consultation area. Federal action agencies are encouraged to request technical assistance from NOAA Fisheries SERO to verify species presence or absence when making consultation determinations. The consultation area boundaries are based on the best available scientific and commercial information and professional judgment. Due to spatial resolution limitations, the layer may not capture all small tributaries, shallow areas, or coastal features where the species may occur.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

This dataset was developed by NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office (SERO) using the best available scientific and commercial information and professional judgment to provide guidance for federal action agencies conducting Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act. The data represents locations where spatial and temporal occurrence of Blue Whale life stages, behaviors, and potentially critical habitat warrant consultation. Data source layer name: CA_NMFS_POLY_SEP24

Definition Query:

This map displays only Blue Whale consultation areas. The data has been filtered using the criteria: SPNAME = 'BLUE WHALE' to show consultation areas specific to this species.

Scale Information:

The map scale and zoom level show a regional marine view suitable for identifying the general extent of the consultation area. This scale is appropriate for initial project screening and consultation determination but may lack detail for site-specific analysis in small tributaries or nearshore areas.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

This represents version 2b of the consultation area data with a reference date of September 2024 (SEP24).

Limitations:

Due to data limitations, if a federal action agency project and associated action area is outside of a major waterway or in very small tributaries or shallow areas near marshes or coastlines, the Section 7 Consultation Area layer may lack the spatial resolution to capture the action area. Activities outside the depicted consultation area but within certain proximity may still affect Blue Whale. Users who are aware of more recent information not reflected in the consultation area data should notify NOAA Fisheries SERO (nmfs.ser.esa.consultations@noaa.gov) for appropriate updates.

Map Coverage:

The map shows a portion of marine waters within the NOAA Southeast Region, which includes waters of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Atlantic Ocean from the North Carolina/Virginia border through Florida, the Gulf of America, and the U.S. Caribbean, as well as portions of states including NC, SC, GA, FL, MS, AL, LA, TX, NM, OK, KS, NE, IA, MO, AR, TN, and KY. The specific geographic extent shown in this map view represents a subset of the broader Southeast Region jurisdiction.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.