National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
Notice of petition finding; request for information; and initiation of status review.
NMFS announces a 90–day finding regarding a petition to list the North Pacific right whale,
To be considered in the 12–month finding, information and comments should be submitted to NMFS by April 26, 2006.
Data, information, or comments concerning this petition should be submitted to Kaja Brix, Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Lori Durall. Comments may be submitted by:
• E-mail:
• Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
• Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 W. 9th Street, Juneau, Alaska.
• Fax: (907) 586–7012.
• Federal e-rulemaking portal:
Mr. Brad Smith, NMFS, 222 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99517, telephone (907) 271–5006, fax (907) 271–3030, Ms. Kaja Brix, NMFS, (907) 586–7235, fax (907) 586–7012; or Dr. Kate McFadden, NMFS, (301) 713–1401, fax (301) 427–2523.
Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the ESA, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531
NMFS has made a 90–day finding on a petition to list the North Pacific right whale. The petition, dated August 16, 2005, was submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, P.O. Box 40090, Berkeley, CA 94704–4090, and was received by NMFS on August 19, 2005. Petitioner requests NMFS to list the North Pacific right whale as a new species,
NMFS has reviewed the petition, the literature cited in the petition, and other literature and information available in NMFS files. On the basis of that information, we find the petition presents substantial scientific information indicating that the requested action may be warranted. NMFS' finding is based in part on recent scientific papers recognizing the North Pacific right whale as genetically distinct from the North Atlantic right whale, as well as recent findings of the International Whaling Commission on the subject. We request any information regarding the taxonomy and status of the North Pacific right whale, its habitat, biology, movements and distribution, threats to the species, or other pertinent information. A copy of the petition may be viewed at the NMFS website:
The authority for this action is the ESA, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531