Use of Habitat Equivalency Analysis to Address Adverse Effects to ESA-Designated Critical Habitat in the Puget Sound Nearshore

Many permanent development projects in the shallow nearshore result in some reduction of functions to salmonid habitat. While best management practices (BMPs) are generally effective at avoiding and minimizing incidental take from construction-related disturbances, BMPs offer little relief to the long-term reduction in ecological functions that adversely affect salmonids’ survival when their designated critical habitat is fundamentally altered. With this in mind, we developed a method based on Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA) to better quantify how much habitat lift is needed to offset adverse critical habitat impacts in the Puget Sound nearshore. The use of HEA yields a common ‘habitat currency’ to quantify adverse and beneficial habitat impacts (i.e., debits or credits) from project developments by comparing nearshore habitat values (NHV) anticipated before and after project implementation. As such, the NHVs are essential input parameters to HEA.   In this presentation we'll outline the use of HEA and the NHV model we have developed and are applying in relevant Section 7 consultations on Puget Sound nearshore development actions. We will focus on three main areas:  (1) What is HEA?, (2) how does the NHV matrix work?, and (3) how does NMFS use HEA in section 7 consultations?