The Endangered Species Act was signed on December 28, 1973, and provides for the conservation of species that are endangered or threatened and the conservation of the ecosystems on which they depend. The ESA replaced the Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969. It has been amended several times.
A "species" is considered endangered if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A species is considered threatened if it is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future. There are approximately 1,990 total species listed under the ESA. Of these species, approximately 1,380 are found in part or entirely in the U.S. and its waters; the remainder are foreign species.
NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service share responsibility for implementing the ESA. Generally, USFWS manages land and freshwater species, while NMFS manages marine and "anadromous" species. NMFS has jurisdiction over 82 listed species.
The ESA provides for different programs to conserve endangered and threatened species:
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Listing (Section 4)
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Critical Habitat (Section 4)
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Recovery (Section 4) (Recovery Plans are issued under Section 4)
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Cooperation with States (Section 6)
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Interagency Consultation (Section 7) (Biological Opinions are issued under Section 7)
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International Cooperation (Section 8)
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Enforcement of the ESA (Section 9)
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Permits & Habitat Conservation Plan (Section 10)
For more information, see NOAA Fisheries or US Fish and Wildlife Service websites.