Glossary: Classifications for Protected Species

Official wording and legal definitions are provided in our Endangered Species Act glossary and Marine Mammal Protection Act glossary.

Endangered Species Act 

ESA Endangered

A species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Endangered species are legally protected by the Endangered Species Act.

ESA Threatened

A species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Threatened species are legally protected by the Endangered Species Act.

ESA Proposed

A species for which a proposed rule has been published in the Federal Register to list or delist the species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

ESA Candidate

A species that is undergoing a status review to determine whether it warrants listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

ESA Petitioned

A species for which NOAA Fisheries has received a petition to add or remove it from the lists of threatened or endangered species protected under the Endangered Species Act.

ESA Experimental Population

A geographically-described, reintroduced population that is isolated from other existing populations of a listed species and established outside of the species’ current range. Individuals in the experimental population are classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

ESA Delisted

A delisted species is one that was  formerly listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, but has since been removed from the lists of endangered and threatened species.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

MMPA Protected

All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

MMPA Depleted

A marine mammal species or population stock that is below its optimum sustainable population, or is listed as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

MMPA Strategic Stock

A marine mammal stock for which the direct human-caused mortality exceeds the potential biological removal level, whose population is found to be declining based on the best available scientific information and is likely to be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, or which is listed as a threatened or endangered species under the ESA or designated as depleted under the MMPA.

International Protections

CITES Appendix I

International trade in species listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is prohibited unless authorized in rare cases by a CITES import and export permit.

CITES Appendix II

International trade in species listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is closely controlled to ensure that it will not be detrimental to the survival of that species, and requires an export permit from the species range country.

CITES Appendix III

International trade in species listed on Appendix III of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is allowed only on presentation of the appropriate permits or certificates to help prevent unsustainable trade or illegal exploitation.

SPAW Annex I

Annex I contains  species, subspecies, or populations of plants for which exploitation is forbidden. Participating countries must prohibit the taking, possession or killing, and commercial trade of plants listed in Annex I.

SPAW Annex II

Annex II contains species, subspecies, or populations of animals for which exploitation is forbidden. Participating countries must prohibit the taking, possession or killing, and commercial trade of animals (or their parts) listed in Annex II.

SPAW Annex III

Annex III contains species of plants and animals for which exploitation by participating countries is authorized but regulated to ensure their populations are maintained at an optimal level.