September 26, 2023 — Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries has concluded that a revision of endangered North Pacific right whale critical habitat is warranted. We intend to proceed with a revision, including initiating the rulemaking process. There are only an estimated 30 eastern North Pacific right whales remaining.
Our decision is in response to a petition we received on March 10, 2022, from the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale. It requested that we revise the critical habitat designation for the species.
Critical habitat for North Pacific right whales was designated in 2008. It consists of two areas, one in the Southeast Bering Sea, the other in the Gulf of Alaska off the coast of Kodiak Island (Figure 1). The areas are approximately 35,460 square miles and 1,175 square miles, respectively.
The petition requests we revise critical habitat to connect the two existing critical habitat areas. This would entail extending the Southeast Bering Sea boundary west and south to the Fox Islands, through Unimak Pass to the edge of the continental slope. It would also extend east to the Gulf of Alaska critical habitat area off the coast of Kodiak Island. We have not yet decided whether to propose the specific revision recommended by the petitioners or some other revision to the critical habitat designation.
What’s Next? The Process to Revise Critical Habitat
On July 12, 2022, we published a positive 90-day finding that the petitioned revision may be warranted. We also initiated a review of currently designated critical habitat and solicited public comments during a 60-day period.
We conducted a review of the petition using the best scientific data available. We also considered information we received during the comment period. Our review indicates that a revision to North Pacific right whale habitat is warranted.
To identify what areas qualify as critical habitat for this species, we will conduct and analysis and synthesis of:
- Available acoustic mooring data
- Visual sightings
- Observations of right whale feeding behavior
- Spatial and temporal patterns in right whale prey
We will also consider potential economic, national security, and any other relevant impact of designating any particular areas as critical habitat.
Based on the data supporting critical habitat, we will then revise the critical habitat. We will develop a proposed rule that will undergo public comment and a final rule that addresses information and comments received during the comment period.