NOAA Fisheries: Revision of Endangered North Pacific Right Whale Critical Habitat Warranted
NOAA Fisheries has announced its decision to revise endangered North Pacific right whale habitat. The agency noted that there are only an estimated 30 eastern North Pacific right whales remaining.
Critical habitat for North Pacific right whales was designated in 2008 and consists of two areas: one in the Southeast Bering Sea, the other in the Gulf of Alaska off the coast of Kodiak Island. The areas are about 35,460 square miles and 1,175 square miles, respectively.
NOAA officials said their decision is in response to a petition received March 10, 2022 from the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale.
The petition asked that NOAA revise the critical habitat designation for the species to connect the two existing critical habitat areas. Doing so wo...