NOAA Fisheries announced the initiation of a status review of the Rice’s whale under section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act. A status review is a periodic undertaking conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate and to determine whether the species should be reclassified or removed from the list. The Rice’s whale is currently listed as an endangered species. To ensure that the status review is based on the best available scientific and commercial data, we are soliciting new information concerning the status of the Rice’s whale. Categories of requested information include:

●      Species biology including, but not limited to, population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics

●      Habitat conditions including, but not limited to, amount, distribution, and suitability

●      Conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the species

●      Status and trends of threats

●      Other new data regarding Rice’s whales that have become available since December 2016

If the status review indicates a change in listing status under the ESA is warranted, a rulemaking process would be initiated to propose the appropriate change in its classification under the ESA.

Additional information is available on the Federal Register’s website here. The public comment period is open from May 5, 2026 through July 6, 2026. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.