Contains papers from an August 1998 symposium, highlighting aspects of the essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions of the Sustainable Fisheries Act. Offers perspectives on EFH policy from federal, environmental, fishing industry, and fishery management council perspectives, then deals with EFH identification, fishing and nonfishing impacts, and Great Lakes fish habitat rehabilitation, and reports on recent research in marine fish habitat. Specific topics include habitat-based assessment of lobster abundance, and the role of oyster reefs. Lacks a subject index.