The purpose of HAPCs is to focus conservation, management, and research efforts on subsets of EFH that are vulnerable to degradation or are especially important ecologically for federally managed fish. The HAPC designation alone does not confer additional protection or restrictions to an area, but helps to focus EFH conservation, management, and research priorities. HAPC designation is a valuable way to acknowledge areas where we have detailed information on ecological function and habitat vulnerability, indicating a greater need for conservation and management. In some instances the Councils and NMFS may develop fishery management measures to conserve the habitat within the HAPC.

HAPCs are a subset of EFH that deserve special attention because they provide extremely important ecological functions and/or are especially vulnerable to degradation. For instance, HAPC designation may be warranted for areas that play a vital role in the reproductive cycle of a managed species (e.g., grouper spawning sites) or areas that contain a rare habitat type (e.g., corals) that may be sensitive to disturbance from fishing or other human activities.

Councils may designate an area as a HAPC for one or more of the following reasons:

• The habitat provides important ecological functions

• The habitat is sensitive to human-induced environmental degradation

• Development activities are, or will be, stressing the habitat

• The habitat type is rare.