Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We (NMFS) issue a final rule to list the Gulf of Mexico Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) (hereafter GOMx Bryde's whale) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have completed a status review of the GOMx Bryde's whale in response to a petition submitted by the Natural Resource Defense Council. After reviewing the best scientific and commercial data available, including the status review and comments received on the proposed rule, we have determined that the GOMx Bryde's whale is a subspecies of B. edeni and warrants listing as endangered. The GOMx Bryde's whale is presently in danger of extinction (i.e., meets the definition of endangered) throughout all of its range due to its small population size and restricted range, and the threats of energy exploration, development and production, oil spills and oil spill response, vessel collision, fishing gear entanglement, and anthropogenic noise. Critical habitat is not determinable at this time but will be proposed in a future rulemaking.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 224 [Docket No. 141216999-8702-02] RIN 0648-XD669 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We (NMFS) issue a final rule to list the Gulf of Mexico Bryde's whale ( Balaenoptera edeni ) (hereafter GOMx Bryde's whale) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have completed a status review of the GOMx Bryde's whale in response to a petition submitted by the Natural Resource Defense Council. After reviewing the best scientific and commercial data available, including the status review and comments received on the proposed rule, we have determined that the GOMx Bryde's whale is a subspecies of B. edeni and warrants listing as endangered. The GOMx Bryde's whale is presently in danger of extinction ( i.e., meets the definition of endangered) throughout all of its range due to its small population size and restricted range, and the threats of energy exploration, development and production, oil spills and oil spill response, vessel collision, fishing gear entanglement, and anthropogenic noise. Critical habitat is not determinable at this time but will be proposed in a future rulemaking. DATES: This final rule is effective on May 15, 2019. ADDRESSES: Public comments are available at www.regulations.gov identified by docket number NOAA-NMFS-2014-0157. A list of references cited in this fi…
Citation: 84 FR 15446
