NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service share responsibility for implementing the Endangered Species Act. We are responsible for most marine species, including whales, seals, sharks, and coral. We also implement measures to protect anadromous species—ones that migrate between fresh and saltwater. U.S. FWS is responsible for terrestrial and freshwater species, as well as sea birds, sea otters, manatees, and polar bears. The two agencies share jurisdiction over species such as sea turtles, Gulf Sturgeon, and Atlantic salmon.

Under the ESA, a species is considered:

• Endangered if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range
• Threatened if it is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range

Listing Threatened and Endangered Species

Before a species can receive the protections provided by the ESA, it must first be added to the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. We are responsible for deciding whether species meet the requirements to be listed. This process often starts with a person or organization petitioning for us to list a species as threatened or endangered. Once we have determined that a species may be threatened or endangered, it becomes a candidate for listing.

Learn more about the listing process

Species petitions being evaluated

Candidate species for ESA listing

Species proposed for ESA listing

Protecting Listed Species

Endangered Species Prohibited Actions

Under the ESA, anyone under the jurisdiction of the United States is prohibited from doing the following regarding endangered species:

• Importing or exporting the species
• Selling and/or offering to sell the species in interstate or foreign commerce
• Delivering, receiving, carrying, transporting, or shipping the species in interstate or foreign commerce during the course of a commercial activity
• Harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting the species within the United States, within U.S. territorial seas, or on the high seas, or attempting any of these activities

Threatened Species Regulations

The prohibited activities that apply to all endangered species do not automatically apply to species listed as threatened. We are responsible for identifying the activities that need to be regulated or prohibited to protect threatened species based on their specific biology, threats, and needs.

Learn more about protective regulations for threatened species

Permits and Authorizations

We issue permits and authorizations that allow individuals and groups to engage in activities that are otherwise prohibited under the ESA for specific purposes. Examples of activities covered by these permits include:

• Researching listed species to improve scientific understanding or support conservation
• Possessing parts or products of a listed species that are more than 100 years old
• Incidentally engaging in prohibited activities while conducting otherwise lawful activities

Find a list of protected resources permits and authorizations

Monitoring Threatened and Endangered Species

Once a species is listed, we monitor their population and review their status every 5 years to ensure that the listing is still accurate. These 5-year reviews may kick off the process for reclassifying or delisting a species.

Learn more about conducting 5-year reviews

Find 5-year reviews

Designating Critical Habitats

One of the main goals of the ESA is to conserve the areas or habitat features that threatened and endangered species depend on for survival and recovery. Examples of these critical habitats include nursing, pupping, or breeding sites or foraging areas.

We are responsible for determining whether there are areas that meet the definition of critical habitat for listed marine and anadromous species and designating these areas based on the best available scientific data.

Critical habitat designations only apply to federal actions. They do not affect land ownership or restrict private citizens’ use of the area. Once critical habitat is designated, federal agencies are required to consult with us to ensure any actions they fund, authorize, or take part in are not likely to destroy or harm the critical habitat.

View critical habitat designations and maps

Recovering Species

Endangered and threatened species have different needs that require different conservation strategies to achieve recovery. We set goals for each species’ recovery, which are laid out in recovery plans. Each plan outlines the tasks required to reduce or eliminate threats and restore or establish self-sustaining wild populations, so that they no longer require ESA protections.

Recovery actions depend on the particular species, its life history needs, and the threats it faces. Examples of the wide range of conservation measures we implement include:

• Restoring habitats
• Reducing bycatch in fisheries
• Releasing “experimental” populations

Learn more about the recovery process under the ESA

View species recovery plans

Learn about our Species in the Spotlight initiative

Delisting a Species

After a species has recovered, we remove the species from the list—this is known as “delisting.” Then we monitor the species status for no less than 5 years after delisting to ensure its recovery is sustained.

View delisted species

Consulting on Federal Actions

We consult with other federal agencies on any action they take that may impact listed species or their critical habitat. Consultations are designed to help federal agencies meet the requirement that their actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a species or destroy designated critical habitat. The consultation process varies depending on the complexity of the project or action.

Read about the ESA consultation process

Enforcing the Endangered Species Act

We work with local, state, and other federal agencies to enforce ESA rules and regulations in U.S. federal, state, and territorial waters.

Learn more about our enforcement priorities

Report a violation of federal marine resource laws

Science is critical to understanding the needs and status of protected species populations, as well as the threats to their health and well-being. Our scientists and partners use a variety of time-tested and advanced technologies—including drones, satellite tagging and tracking, and genetic research—to study marine life. What they learn helps us develop and implement recovery efforts for endangered and threatened species. 

We have also established the National Protected Species Toolbox Initiative to support the development of analytical products and applications that aim to investigate impacts and consequences of human and environmental disturbance on endangered and threatened marine life and other protected species.

Field Surveys

Ship-based and aerial surveys are critical to achieving our marine mammal and sea turtle population assessment goals. Our science centers conduct and manage a limited number of marine mammal- and sea turtle-focused surveys each year, often with external collaborators. The number of surveys depends on funding and available ship time and flight time.

Learn more about our species population surveys

Read about our research surveys

Ocean Acoustics

Sound from human activities may impact the underwater environment. Our scientists support and conduct research to examine the potential impacts on marine animals and increase our understanding of:

• How marine animals use sound
• Whether and how we can use underwater acoustics to assess marine animal populations
• How, and to what degree, human activities are changing the underwater soundscape
• How changes to the underwater soundscape may potentially impact marine animals
• Which measures could effectively reduce these potential impacts to marine animals

Learn more about ocean acoustics

Bycatch Reduction

Fisheries bycatch is a threat to endangered and threatened species worldwide. Together with the fishing industry, we work to minimize bycatch by researching and developing technological solutions and changes in fishing practices. These include gear modifications, avoidance programs, and improved fishing practices in commercial and recreational fisheries.

Learn more about the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program

Climate and Ecosystem Science

Understanding the impacts of climate change on marine life, including threatened and endangered species, is a high priority for NOAA. We have much to learn about the effects of global and regional climate dynamics on species distribution, abundance, and prey availability. That’s why NOAA scientists work at sea, on shore, and in laboratories to observe, measure, and monitor changes and forecast future conditions. 

The Arctic in particular is a window to changing climate patterns. It serves as a living laboratory where we can observe and record the impacts of receding sea ice, warming sea surface temperatures, and altered ecosystem dynamics. These climate-related changes affect how marine ecosystems function. They also impact local and native tribal communities that depend on Arctic resources for their livelihood and sustenance.

Learn more about climate-related changes in ocean ecosystems

Of all the species NOAA Fisheries protects under the Endangered Species Act, we have identified 10 for which immediate, targeted actions can stabilize the population and prevent extinction.

For some, their numbers are so low that they need to be bred in captivity; others are facing human threats that must be addressed to prevent their extinction. We launched the "Species in the Spotlight" initiative in 2015 to bring greater attention and marshal resources to save these highly at-risk species:

• Atlantic salmon Gulf of Maine distinct population segment (DPS)
• Central California Coast coho salmon evolutionarily significant unit (ESU)
• Cook Inlet beluga whale DPS
• Hawaiian monk seal
• North Atlantic right whale
• Pacific leatherback sea turtle
• Rice's whale
• Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon ESU
• Southern resident killer whale DPS
• White abalone

Learn more about what we have accomplished so far

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We chose these 10 species because they are all endangered, their populations are declining, and they are considered a recovery priority #1C.

A recovery priority #1C species is one whose extinction is almost certain in the immediate future because of rapid population decline or habitat destruction, and its survival conflicts with construction, development, or economic activity.

In most cases, we understand the limiting factors and threats to these species, and we know that the necessary management actions have a high probability of success.

In some cases, we are prioritizing research to better understand the threats so we can fine-tune our actions for the maximum effect.

We know we can’t do this alone. A major component of the Species in the Spotlight initiative is to expand partnerships and motivate individuals to work with us to get these species on the road to recovery.

For each species, we developed priority action plans that outline what we need to do to prevent extinction.

Actions we and are partners are focusing on include:

• Protecting and restoring habitat
• Encouraging community stewardship and citizen science
• Reducing human-caused threats such as entanglement in fishing gear, habitat destruction, vessel strikes, and noise pollution
• Breeding species in captivity
• Cooperating with other nations

Watch these videos to find out more about these species and what we're doing to save them

Conservation groups, academia, tribal nations, and federal, state, and local governments all make important contributions to the protection and recovery of endangered and threatened species. We work with these organizations in many ways to minimize harmful effects on listed species and work toward their recovery.

Cooperation With States

States play an essential role in conserving and recovering species that have been or may be listed under the ESA. Under the ESA, we can enter into cooperative agreements with states that maintain “adequate and active” programs for the conservation of threatened and endangered species. Those agreements allow us to both help with and fund the implementation of state conservation programs.

Learn more about our work with states

Species Recovery Grants to States and Tribes

We provide funding to states that have entered into cooperative agreements in the form of Species Recovery Grants to States. They support management, research, monitoring, and outreach activities that have direct conservation benefits for listed species, recently delisted species, and candidate species within that state.

Similarly, Species Recovery Grants to Tribes support tribally-led management, research, monitoring, and outreach activities. Tribes are important stewards of marine resources and critical partners in the implementation of recovery actions.

International Cooperation

Under the ESA, we must list species as endangered or threatened regardless of where they are found. The ESA benefits foreign species by restricting their commercial trade and facilitating bilateral and multilateral efforts and agreements. Listing foreign species can also increase global awareness of the threats they face, which may fuel conservation efforts.

To prevent international trade from threatening listed species, the United States partners with other nations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. We are also a party to the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol of the Cartagena Convention. Under this protocol, we collaborate with other nations of the wider Caribbean region to conserve and manage threatened and endangered species. 

Learn more about our international activities