Endangered Species Act (ESA)

The US Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) is the federal law protecting species at risk of extinction and the ecosystems they depend on. NOAA Fisheries administers most marine species; the Fish and Wildlife Service handles the rest. Section 4 governs listing as endangered or threatened, critical-habitat designation, and recovery plans; Section 7 requires federal agencies to consult and avoid jeopardy; Section 9 prohibits take of listed species. Marine listings include white abalone (2001), black abalone (2009), and the North Atlantic right whale. The eastern North Pacific gray whale was delisted in 1994 after recovery.