Alternative Text Description for Sperm Whale Section 7 Consultation Area

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays designated consultation areas for sperm whale habitat where federal agencies are advised to conduct Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act. The map shows marine areas surrounding Florida and extending into the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of America where sperm whales have documented spatial and temporal occurrence. These areas represent locations where NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office recommends federal action agencies evaluate potential impacts to this listed species before undertaking federal actions.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States, centered on the state of Florida and its surrounding waters. Major cities visible include Birmingham and Atlanta in the north, Jacksonville and Orlando along Florida's Atlantic coast, Tampa on the west coast, and Miami at the southern tip. The Florida peninsula is clearly shown in beige, bordered by marine waters to the east and west. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean, extending to the Bahamas including Nassau. To the west and south lies the Gulf of America, with Havana, Cuba visible at the bottom of the map. The Coastal Plain region is labeled across Georgia and the Carolinas, and the Yucatan Channel is noted in the southwestern corner near Cancún. The map encompasses portions of Alabama, Georgia, and other southeastern states in the northern section.

KEY INSIGHTS

The sperm whale consultation areas form a broad band surrounding the entire Florida peninsula, extending far offshore into both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of America. The consultation zones are notably absent from the immediate coastal waters and nearshore environments, indicating that sperm whales primarily occupy deeper offshore habitats. The designated areas extend significantly farther from shore on the Atlantic side compared to portions of the Gulf side, particularly off Florida's eastern and southeastern coasts. There is no coverage in the shallow waters immediately adjacent to Florida's coastline, Tampa Bay, or other nearshore environments, demonstrating that consultation requirements are focused on offshore pelagic habitat.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Sperm Whale Consultation Area

These areas represent marine zones where federal agencies should conduct Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultations due to sperm whale occurrence.

Sperm Whale Habitat (blue crosshatched pattern)

Appearance:

The consultation areas are depicted with a blue crosshatched or diagonal grid pattern overlay on the marine waters.

Distribution:

The designated areas form a continuous band extending from the Atlantic Ocean around the southern tip of Florida and northward into the Gulf of America. On the Atlantic side, the consultation zone begins well offshore from Jacksonville and extends southward past Miami. In the Gulf of America, the consultation area extends from the southwestern Florida coast, around the Florida Keys, and northward along the western Florida coast. An additional consultation area is visible in the western Gulf of America.

Notable locations:

Major consultation zones are present offshore from Jacksonville on the Atlantic coast, extending in a wide band along Florida's entire eastern seaboard. The area wraps around southern Florida and the Keys region, continuing up the Gulf side. The Atlantic consultation area extends eastward well into the ocean basin, approaching the western Bahamas. In the Gulf of America, the zone extends from the southwest Florida coast and curves around the Florida peninsula.

Spatial patterns:

The consultation areas show a clear pattern of offshore distribution, maintaining distance from the immediate coastline throughout. The zones are wider and extend farther from shore on the Atlantic side compared to much of the Gulf side, suggesting different habitat characteristics or occurrence patterns. The areas form nearly continuous coverage around the Florida peninsula except in shallow nearshore waters, creating a broad offshore corridor surrounding the state.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents NOAA Fisheries guidance for federal action agencies in meeting their obligations under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Consultation areas are based on the spatial and temporal occurrence of sperm whale life stages, behaviors, and habitat use patterns in the Southeast Region. Activities located outside the mapped consultation areas but within proximity to them may still affect sperm whales, particularly if projects occur in small tributaries, shallow areas, or locations where spatial resolution limitations exist in the underlying data. Federal action agencies are encouraged to request technical assistance from NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office to verify species presence or absence when making consultation determinations. The consultation areas are within the species' range but may not include all 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. The data provides guidance for federal action agencies regarding locations where Section 7 ESA consultations are recommended based on documented occurrence of listed species. Users with more recent information not reflected in the consultation area data are encouraged to contact NMFS at nmfs.ser.esa.consultations@noaa.gov. Data source layer name: CA_NMFS_POLY_SEP24.

Definition Query:

The map displays only sperm whale consultation areas, filtered by the criteria SPNAME = 'SPERM WHALE' from the broader Section 7 consultation area dataset.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional scale view encompassing Florida and surrounding waters, appropriate for understanding the broad distribution of offshore consultation zones. Individual project-level determinations may require finer-scale analysis.

Coordinate System:

NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087).

Time Period of Content:

This represents version 2b of the consultation areas, dated September 2024 (SEP24).

Limitations:

Due to data limitations and spatial resolution constraints, consultation areas may not capture very small tributaries, shallow areas near marshes, or other fine-scale coastal features. Federal actions outside mapped consultation areas but within proximity may still affect sperm whales. The areas are based on best available information at the time of creation and may not reflect the most recent species occurrence data. The NOAA Southeast Region coverage includes NC, SC, GA, FL, MS, AL, LA, TX, NM, OK, KS, NE, IA, MO, AR, TN, and KY, as well as U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone waters in the Atlantic Ocean from the NC/VA border through Florida, the Gulf of America, and the U.S. Caribbean.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers the state of Florida and adjacent southeastern states including portions of Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, extending into the Atlantic Ocean to the east (including portions of the Bahamas) and the Gulf of America to the west and south (including portions of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula near Mexico). The primary focus is on offshore marine waters surrounding Florida where sperm whale consultation areas have been designated.

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