On the West Coast, we have established closed areas to minimize the bycatch of overfished groundfish species or to protect groundfish habitat.
West Coast groundfish fisheries and fisheries that may take groundfish incidentally are managed with a variety of closed areas intended to either minimize the bycatch of overfished groundfish species or to protect groundfish habitat, protected species, or prohibited species. Many of the closed areas are gear-specific and/or sector-specific, meaning they are closed to some particular gear types and/or fishery sectors, but not others. We only provide information on marine areas closed to fishing by federal regulation. The states of Washington, Oregon, and California may have additional closures. Additional restrictions may also apply to activities conducted in a National Marine Sanctuary (Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, and Greater Farallon Islands).
| Commercial Trawl Closed Areas | Commercial Non-Trawl Closed Areas | Recreational Closed Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Rockfish Conservation Areas | Rockfish Conservation Areas | Rockfish Conservation Areas |
| Block Area Closures | Block Area Closures | |
| Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas | Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas | Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas |
| Cowcod Conservation Areas | ||
| Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas | Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas | |
| Cordell Banks Conservation Area | Cordell Banks Conservation Area | Cordell Banks Conservation Area |
| Deep-sea Ecosystem Conservation Area | Deep-sea Ecosystem Conservation Area |
Rockfish Conservation Areas, or RCAs, are depth-based areas closed to fishing with certain gear types, and may extend no farther shoreward or seaward than the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, 3-200 nautical miles from shore). The RCA boundaries are lines that connect a series of latitude and longitude coordinates and are intended to approximate particular depth contours. RCA boundaries are different depending on what types of fishing gear are being used. RCA boundaries are likely to differ between management areas along the coast. RCA boundaries are also likely to change seasonally, and may also be changed during the year through inseason actions. The RCA boundaries are set primarily to minimize incidental catch of overfished rockfish, by eliminating fishing in areas at locations and at times when those overfished species are likely to co-occur with more healthy target stocks of groundfish. RCAs extending along all or part of the West Coast have been in place since September 2002.
Latitude and longitude coordinates for all of the potential depth-based lines that may form an RCA, lines around the Southern California Islands, and block area closure boundary lines are available in CSV format (comma-delimited ASCII text format) so that the data may be more easily used in mapping and navigation software. CSV files do not allow for multiple worksheets within a single file; therefore each RCA boundary has its own separate file. All of the RCA coordinates can be easily downloaded and extracted using WinZip. Please review the Rockfish Conservation Area Boundary Lines, then download the PKZip file (current as of 11/20/2023), and select the desired RCA boundary by scrolling through the list. The most recent updates include the addition of the 50, 60, 75, 100, 125, and 150 fm lines around Santa Barbara Island, San Nicolas Island, Cortes Bank, and Tanner Bank, and the 150 fm line around Osborn Bank and the Eastern CCA.
Block Area Closures (BACs) are area closures in federal waters that may prohibit trawl or non-trawl fishing to mitigate bycatch of groundfish and protected species. Areas will be bounded on the north and south by a line of latitude or the EEZ boundary, and on the east and west by boundary lines that approximate depth contours or the EEZ boundary
BAC boundaries and duration will be published in the Federal Register and announced in a fishery bulletin.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that fishery management plans describe and identify essential fish habitat (EFH) and minimize to the extent practicable adverse effects on EFH caused by fishing. EFH is defined as habitats that are necessary to the species for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity. Some EFH that is especially important ecologically or particularly vulnerable to degradation may be further designated as “habitat areas of particular concern” (HAPC) to provide additional focus for conservation efforts.
There are three types of designations for identified areas: EFH, HAPC, and EFH Conservation Areas. Only EFH Conservation Areas are closed to specific types of fishing and/or gear types (specific prohibitions are in the Federal regulations at 50 CFR 660.12). These areas are defined by latitude and longitude coordinates. Fishery managers must evaluate the effect of fishing and non-fishing activities on EFH. Fishery Management Councils may restrict fishing with specific gear types in EFH Conservation Areas as a protection measure.
Additional information, including maps and analytical documents can be found on the West Coast Essential Fish Habitat Page.
Current coordinates that define all of the EFH boundary lines are listed in Federal Regulation at 50 CFR 660.75 through 660.79 and are available via the links below:
Coastwide EFH Conservation Areas, last revised with Amendment 32 beginning January 1, 2024, have data points for latitude and longitude coordinates available in additional formats. The coordinate files were developed with the utmost care. However, they are not legal boundaries and any discrepancies between these files and the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
High resolution maps and a complete set of EFH-related mapping data are also available for download on the Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat Data and Maps page.
There are two Cowcod Conservation Areas, or CCAs, off southern California; a Western and an Eastern CCA. The Western and Eastern CCAs are defined by latitude and longitude coordinates at § 660.70.
Starting in 2024, CCA restrictions no longer apply to non-trawl commercial and recreational vessels fishing for groundfish. The CCAs remain are closed to all trawl vessels fishing for groundfish.
Commercial trawl vessels may transit through the Western CCA with their gear stowed and groundfish on board only in a corridor through the Western CCA bounded on the north by the latitude line at 33°00.50' N. lat., and bounded on the south by the latitude line at 32°59.50' N. lat.
Groundfish Exclusion Areas, or GEAs (defined at § 660.11) are closed areas intended to protect sensitive areas (e.g., coral habitat) off the Pacific Coast. GEAs are areas defined by latitude and longitude coordinates that, when connected in straight lines in the order they are numbered, create a polygon that is closed to certain groundfish fishing activities. Starting in 2024, GEAs are defined in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan via Amendment 32, and eight GEAs are established off Southern California in the area where former CCA restrictions were in place for groundfish non-trawl fisheries. Amendment 32 also establishes new fathom lines around the islands and banks within the CCAs (i.e., Santa Barbara Island, San Nicholas Island, Tanner Bank, Cortes Bank, Osborn Bank, and the Eastern CCA), which are available for download via the Rockfish Conservation Areas Boundary Lines zip file above (under “Data Point Files” for the Rockfish Conservation Areas). Mapping data are available for viewing and download on the Groundfish Exclusion Areas page.
Current coordinates that define all of the current GEA boundary lines are listed in Federal Regulation at 50 CFR 660.70. GEA restrictions per fishery sector are available at the links below:
GEAs have data points for latitude and longitude coordinates available in additional formats. The coordinate files were developed with the utmost care. However, they are not legal boundaries and any discrepancies between these files and the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
The Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area is located offshore of California's Marin County, just north of San Francisco Bay. Commercial and recreational fishing for groundfish, except "other flatfish" as specified at §§ 660.230, 660.330 and 660.360, is prohibited within the boundary of the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area as defined by specific latitude and longitude coordinates at § 660.70.
The Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area has been in place in the Pacific Coast Groundfish regulations since 2005. Coordinates designating its boundary were revised in 2007.
Additional restrictions may apply to activities conducted in the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
The Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas, or YRCAs, are various closed areas intended to protect yelloweye rockfish off the Pacific Coast. YRCAs are areas defined by latitude and longitude coordinates that, when connected in straight lines in the order they are numbered, create a polygon that is closed to certain fishing activities. In many cases, YRCAs are defined in the Federal regulations and available for use in the future, but are not necessarily active or turned “on”. The Pacific Fishery Management Council may recommend that NMFS turn YRCAs “on” or “off” via an inseason action in accordance with concerns over yelloweye rockfish bycatch. See regulations at 50 CFR 660.230, 660.330, and 660.360 to see if a particular YRCA has been put into effect in the non-trawl commercial and/or recreational fisheries via an inseason action. Also see regulations at 300.63 to see if a particular YRCA has been put into effect for the commercial or recreational Pacific halibut fisheries.
Current coordinates that define all of the current YRCA boundary lines are listed in Federal Regulation at 50 CFR 660.70. YRCA restrictions per fishery sector are available at the links below:
Amendment 32 established four new YRCAs off Oregon in Federal regulations: Heceta Bank, Tillamook, Florence, and Newport. These YRCAs have data points for latitude and longitude coordinates available in additional formats. The coordinate files were developed with the utmost care. However, they are not legal boundaries and any discrepancies between these files and the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
The Deep-sea Ecosystem Conservation Area (DECA) is closed to fishing with bottom-contacting gears to protect deep-water habitats, including deep sea corals, beginning in 2020. Bottom contact gears mean fishing gear designed or modified to make contact with the bottom and include, but are not limited to, beam trawl, bottom trawl, dredge, fixed gear, set net, demersal seine, dinglebar gear, pot gear, and other gear designed to make contact with the bottom. This closure covers over 123,000 square miles (318,569 square km), and includes all federal waters (from 3 nautical miles to 200 nautical miles offshore) south of Mendocino Ridge, and seaward (west) of approximately 1,900 fathoms (3,500 m).
The DECA is the entire Exclusive Economic Zone seaward (west) of designated EFH, defined with latitude and longitude coordinates at 660.75 - EFH. Designated EFH have data points for latitude and longitude coordinates available in additional formats. The coordinate files were developed with the utmost care. However, they are not legal boundaries and any discrepancies between these files and the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
Cape Shirreff field camp on Livingston Island, one of the most breathtaking places in Antarctica. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
North Pacific right whale. Credit: Brenda K. Rone
An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
