Alternative Text Description for Giant Manta Ray Section 7 Consultation Area

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map depicts the Section 7 Consultation Area for the Giant Manta Ray under the Endangered Species Act in the southeastern United States and adjacent marine waters. The hatched purple area represents locations where NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office recommends Federal action agencies conduct consultations due to the spatial and temporal occurrence of this listed species. The map shows the extensive marine habitat range where Giant Manta Rays are known to occur and where their presence must be considered for Federal actions that may affect the species.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States coastal region and marine waters, including the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, with portions of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of America visible. Major cities labeled include Birmingham and Montgomery in Alabama, Atlanta in Georgia, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami in Florida, and Nassau in The Bahamas. The map extends south to show portions of Cuba, including Havana and Cancún in the Yucatan Channel. The geographic extent encompasses both the Atlantic Ocean coastline along Florida's east coast and the Gulf of America waters along Florida's west coast and the Florida Panhandle region.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Giant Manta Ray consultation area encompasses a broad and continuous marine zone that surrounds the entire Florida peninsula and extends into the northern Gulf of America. The consultation area notably excludes the Florida mainland itself, forming a distinctive outline around the state's coastline and peninsula. The coverage extends significantly offshore into both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of America, indicating that Giant Manta Rays utilize extensive open ocean habitats beyond coastal waters. The northern boundary of the consultation area extends across the northern Gulf of America and along the Atlantic coast north of Jacksonville, while the southern extent reaches into waters near Cuba and the Yucatan Channel.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Giant Manta Ray Consultation Area

This layer represents the designated Section 7 Consultation Area for the Giant Manta Ray species.

Giant Manta Ray Habitat Zone (purple crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The area is displayed with a purple or magenta crosshatch pattern consisting of diagonal lines creating a mesh-like appearance over a light blue ocean background. The boundary is outlined with a solid magenta line.

Distribution:

The consultation area forms a continuous zone throughout marine waters surrounding Florida, including the Gulf of America to the west and north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The area wraps around the entire Florida peninsula, maintaining separation from the mainland shoreline.

Notable locations:

The consultation area includes marine waters adjacent to major coastal cities including Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami. It extends into the open waters of the Straits of Florida between Florida and Cuba, covers extensive portions of the eastern Gulf of America, and continues along the Atlantic coast north of Jacksonville. The area also encompasses marine habitat in the vicinity of the Florida Keys.

Spatial patterns:

The consultation area follows the natural coastal contours of Florida and extends substantially offshore, suggesting that Giant Manta Rays utilize both nearshore and offshore marine environments. The consistent width of the consultation area around the peninsula indicates relatively uniform habitat usage patterns. The area's exclusion of terrestrial Florida and inclusion of all surrounding marine waters demonstrates the species' strictly marine nature.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map provides guidance for Federal action agencies conducting Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act. The consultation areas represent locations where the species' life stages, behaviors, and habitats are known to occur within the Southeast Region. Due to spatial data limitations, activities outside but near the consultation area boundaries may still affect Giant Manta Rays, particularly in small tributaries, shallow areas, or detailed coastal features. 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 areas are within the species range but may not include areas of extralimital occurrence.

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 support Federal agencies in conducting Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act. The data represents version 2b and was published in September 2024.

Source layer: CA_NMFS_POLY_SEP24

Definition Query:

The map displays only consultation areas where SPNAME equals 'GIANT MANTA RAY', filtering the dataset to show the specific geographic extent relevant to this species.

Scale Information:

The map scale is appropriate for regional planning and consultation determination purposes, showing the broad geographic extent of the consultation area across multiple states and marine waters.

Coordinate System:

NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The dataset represents Version 2b published in September 2024 and reflects the most current understanding of Giant Manta Ray occurrence patterns at the time of publication.

Limitations:

Due to data limitations and spatial resolution constraints, consultation areas may not capture very small tributaries, shallow areas near marshes, or fine-scale coastal features. Activities outside mapped consultation areas but within close proximity may still affect the species. Users who have more recent information not reflected in the consultation area data are encouraged to contact NOAA Fisheries SERO at nmfs.ser.esa.consultations@noaa.gov so appropriate updates can be made.

Map Coverage:

The map coverage includes the southeastern United States states of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and adjacent marine waters of the US Exclusive Economic Zone in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of America. The map also shows portions of The Bahamas and Cuba for geographic context.

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