Federal government to ease humpback whale protection

The federal government on Monday proposed removing most of the world's humpback whale population from the endangered species list, saying they have rebounded after 45 years of protections.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries wants to reclassify humpbacks into 14 distinct populations, and remove 10 of those from the list.

"As we learn more about the species - and realize the populations are largely independent of each other - managing them separately allows us to focus protection on the animals that need it the most," Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries, said in a statement.

Humpbacks were listed as endangered in 1970, four years after the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling.

The whales have rebounded in the North Pacific since the listing, which requires federal approval for federally funded or authorized activities that could harm whales or their habitat.

Last year, the state of Alaska filed a petition to remove some North Pacific humpback whales from protection under the Endangered Species Act. That population, estimated at more than 5,800, feeds in Alaska in the summer and breeds in Hawaii in winter.

Environmental groups have said North Pacific whales continue to be vulnerable to factors including increased shipping, fishing, climate change and ocean acidification, which affects the prey stock.

"It's heartening to see that some humpback whales are recovering, but it's premature to remove protections when so many threats, like climate change and ocean noise, are increasing," said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Since commercial whaling ended, humpbacks have enjoyed protection, but they're still drowning in fishing gear and getting hit by ships."

NOAA said in a release announcing its proposal that protection and restoration efforts have led to an increase in humpbacks in many areas.

Under the plan, two of the populations - in Central America and the Western North Pacific - would remain on the list but go from "endangered" to "threatened." The agency said these whales at times enter U.S. waters.

The other two populations, in the Arabian Sea and off Cape Verde and northwest Africa, would remain listed as endangered.

Humpbacks are found around the world. They weigh 25 to 40 tons and can grow up to 60 feet long, according to NOAA's website. The whales are primarily dark gray with some white spots, and their pectoral fins can get as long as 15 feet.

If the proposal passes, the humpback populations that are removed from the endangered list would still be protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The public has 90 days to comment on the recommended changes.