Office of Habitat Conservation

Protecting and restoring habitat to sustain fisheries, recover protected species, and maintain resilient coastal communities and ecosystems.

What We Do

We protect and restore habitat to sustain fisheries, recover protected species, and maintain resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. 

Our goals are to: 

  • Conserve habitat for managed fisheries and protected resources
  • Restore fisheries and protected resources impacted by oil and chemical spills
  • Increase the resilience of coastal ecosystems, communities, and economies through habitat conservation

For us, conservation means protection and restoration. We protect healthy habitat by prioritizing our work to address the biggest threats. We restore degraded or injured habitat to ensure fish have access to high quality areas to live. We achieve this by:

  • Removing dams and other barriers
  • Reconnecting coastal wetlands
  • Rebuilding coral and oyster reefs

Our approach to habitat conservation is collaborative and uses sound science in support of our major mandates like the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Oil Pollution Act. We focus our efforts for the benefit of marine resources and coastal communities. And, we work in partnerships at all levels—with local, state, federal governments, private entities, and non-governmental organizations—toward shared goals and enhanced understanding.

Healthy habitats support fish, clean water, and recreation. They are declining due to stressors like pollution, development, and extreme weather. We strive to address these issues through our programs and activities which directly support the nation’s communities and economy. Our major focus areas include:

Restoring Habitat

We work to increase fisheries productivity by restoring coastal habitat and supporting the recovery of protected species that rely on healthy habitat to breed, eat, rest, and grow. Since 1992, we have provided more than $750 million to implement more 3,300 coastal habitat restoration projects.

Learn more about how we restore coastal habitats

Protecting Habitat

Fish habitat is vulnerable to pollution and other threats, but some problems can be minimized or avoided by protecting habitats first. We work to increase fisheries productivity through supporting Essential Fish Habitat, fish passage, and deep sea coral research.

Learn more about how we protect coastal habitat

Improving the Chesapeake Bay

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office focuses its science, service, and stewardship capabilities on improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay and ensuring its sustainable use for generations to come.

Learn more about our efforts in the Chesapeake Bay

More Information

Our Leadership

Carrie Selberg

Carrie Selberg Robinson

Director

Carrie Selberg Robinson is the Director of the Office of Habitat Conservation. She served as Deputy Director from 2015-2020. She was NOAA Fisheries Chief of Staff from 2013-2015. She joined NOAA in 2005 as a legislative specialist after 5 years at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. She participated in NOAA’s Leadership Development Competencies Program and the National Conservation Leadership Institute. She has a degree in Environmental Studies from Connecticut College and a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University.

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headshot of Sunny Snider Centrella

Sunny Snider Centrella, Ph.D.

Deputy Director

Sunny is the Deputy Director for the Office of Habitat Conservation. Previously, she was the Deputy Director for the Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection and Chief of Staff at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. She also served in NOAA's Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and graduated from NOAA's Leadership Competencies Development Program. She received a B.S.P.H. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from the University of North Carolina and a Ph.D. in Zoology from North Carolina State University.

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Management Team

Directorate

Carrie Selberg Robinson

Director

Sunny Snider Centrella, Ph.D.

Deputy Director

Restoration Center

Chris Doley

Chief

Tisa Shostik

Deputy Chief

Habitat Protection

Kara Meckley

Chief

NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office

Kevin Schabow

Director, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office

Shannon Sprague

Acting Deputy Director, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
    • Ecosystem Science and Synthesis
      Bruce Vogt, Manager

Operations, Management, and Information Services

Alia Shabazz

Chief

Lyudmila Shaulova

Deputy Chief

Habitat Heroes, Some of Our Partners in Habitat Conservation

Everything we do related to habitat conservation requires strong partnerships, and they are incredibly important to us.

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Carrie Selberg Robinson (front row, right) stands in a crowd holding a shovel at groundbreaking ceremony for Herring River Restoration Project in Cape Cod, MA.