The Hoh, Makah, Quileute Tribes and the Quinault Indian Nation, in collaboration with the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and NOAA Fisheries, recently released several products in support of their ongoing Habitat Framework Initiative.

This project aims to improve the understanding and management of marine resources and ecosystems off Washington’s coast through the application of a standardized habitat classification system (the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, or CMECS). The resulting tools and maps build on existing habitat data, including seafloor data used in the Washington Marine Spatial Planning process, to provide a more comprehensive picture of the resources within the Tribes’ Usual and Accustomed fishing areas and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, as well as other areas off the Pacific coast.

For an overview of the project, view this story map on the NWIFC website, or access the project report for more detail. Click here to explore the map tool.