Atlantic Salmon Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment
and Critical Habitat Map Book

1. Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that for any project in which there is a federal action (authorized, funded or carried out by a federal agency) and “may affect” Atlantic salmon and, if present, their critical habitat, the action agency must consult with either the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
2. Critical habitat designation and the listing of Atlantic salmon are two separate actions. Any Federal activity that may affect Atlantic salmon should consult with either NMFS or the FWS. Where critical habitat is present, all Federal actions that “may affect” critical habitat should also consult with NMFS or the USFWS.
3. Any project in the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon (areas shaded in yellow in the map book), regardless of whether it is a federal action or if it is in an area that contains critical habitat (shaded in green), you should be cognoscente of “take” of Atlantic salmon. If you feel that your project may result in “take”, you should contact either NMFS or the USFWS.
4. These maps are not absolute and are simply designed to aid in identifying critical habitat and the geographic range of Atlantic salmon. Critical habitat for Atlantic salmon is considered to include all perennial stream, river, lake, and estuary habitat within areas shaded in green. If there is a perennial river, stream, pond or estuary that does not show up in an area shaded green on the map, you should assume that it is critical habitat.  Click here to view Online Versions of the Maps or here for Adobe PDF Versions of the Maps (64 MB file).
5. The labels for the towns, water bodies (including streams) and roads are the labels associated with the GIS data layers (cited on the front page of the map book). We cannot assure the accuracy of these labels, so we would recommend that you cross reference to other map sources or contact NMFS or the USFWS if there is an area or location of question.  Click here for the Town Index Listing of the Maps.
6. These maps do not reveal Tribal lands or military lands excluded from critical habitat, as it’s assumed that these entities are aware of where their lands are and the activities that occur on them.

For any project in freshwater, please contact the USFWS at (207) 866-3344 ext. 118.

For any project involving a dam, the estuary or marine environment, please contact the NMFS at (207) 866-7379.