All -- As you may know, NMFS has proposed listing the Hawaii insular false killer whale as endangered under the ESA. In light of new data, it has just reopened its comment period on the listing for fifteen days.

The new data largely concern false killer whales photographed and tagged off Kauai and in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The photo-ID, genetics, and tagging work all indicate that the these animals are part of a Northwest Hawaiian Islands population – distinct from the insular population at issue in the listing. We believe that the new data only provides further confirmation of the isolation of the HI insular whales and the need to list them. Only around 150 individual whales remain.

We hope folks can submit comments in continued support of the listing, in light of the new data. All but one of the relevant papers are available on Cascadia’s website: http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/falsekillerwhale.htm. NMFS’ notice can be found at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-09-18/pdf/2012-23001.pdf.

*Comments are due October 3rd* and should be sent electronically to the www.regulations.gov website.

Best,

Michael

Michael Jasny

Senior Policy Analyst

Director, Marine Mammal Protection Project

Natural Resources Defense Council

4479 W. 5th Avenue

Vancouver, BC V6R1S4

tel. 604-736-9386

mob. 310-560-5536

fax 310-434-2399

mjasny@nrdc.org