Generic Amendment No. 2 (2004) for Addressing Essential Fish Habitat Requirements in the following Fishery Management Plans of the Gulf of Mexico.

This generic Amendment to all seven Fisheries Management Plans for specific fisheries (Stone Crab, shrimp, Spiny Lobster, Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources, Coral and Coral Reef, Red Drum and Reef Fish) of the Gulf of Mexico and partly in the South Atlantic addresses long-term threats to the viability of commercial and recreational fisheries is the continuing loss of marine, estuarine, and other aquatic habitats. To ensure habitat considerations receive increased attention for the conservation and management of fishery resources, the amended Magnuson-Stevens Act included new Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) requirements, and as such, each existing, and any new, FMPs must describe and identify EFH for the fishery, minimize to the extent practicable adverse effects on that EFH caused by fishing, and identify other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of that EFH.
This Amendment concerns, among other things: habitat considerations for designating Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC); alternatives for designating HAPC; adverse effects of fishing on EFH; alternatives to prevent, mitigate, or minimize the adverse effects of fishing on EFH; establishment of EFH; affected environment (physical, biological, human, administrative) habitat use by species in the Coastal Migratory Pelagic FMP; threats to habitat; non-fishing related activities that may adversely affect EFH (physical alterations, water quality issues, biologic alterations, marine debris); preventing, mitigating, or minimizing fishing impacts; research recommendations; conservation recommendations.
The Amendment also is completed by 10 Appendices: History of Fishery Management in the Gulf of Mexico for Each Fishery Management Plan (A); Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Habitat Policy and Procedures (B); Information on Species Distribution and Habitat Associations (C); Descriptions of Fishing Communities (D); Community Census Demographic Tables (E); County Census Demographic Tables (F); Fishing Permits by Permit Type and Homeport City (G); Tables of Non-Fishing Impacts by Gulf of Mexico Statistical Zone (H); Description of Maps and GIS Data Included in the EIS (I); Public Comment and Responses to the Draft EIS (J).