Reclassification into 14 distinct population segments will provide more tailored management approach
NOAA Fisheries proposed today to reclassify the humpback whale into 14 distinct population segments under the Endangered Species Act, providing a more tailored conservation approach for U.S. fisheries managers. Protection and restoration efforts over the past 40 years have led to an increase in numbers and growth rates for humpback whales in many areas.
The shallow warm waters of Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary constitute one of the world's most important humpback whale habitats and the only place in U.S. coastal waters where humpbacks reproduce. (Image credit: NOAA/NOAA Fisheries Permit #782-1438)