This report summarizes the available data on habitat uses and needs of humpback whales and the process for determining what areas meet the definition of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The assessment and findings provided in this report, in conjunction with other agency analyses (e.g. economic analyses), will be used to inform and support any subsequent proposal to designate critical habitat for the Mexico, Central America, and Western North PAcific distinct population segments (DPSs) of humpback whales.
ID: 400 Info. Type: ISA
ISA Estimated Initial Dissemination Date: 9/26/2019
Estimated Dissemination Date of Final Work Product: 9/28/2020
Contact Person: Tracy Miller NOAA Locator
Review Type: Individual Letters
Expected Number of Peer Reviewers: 4-10
Peer Reviewers will be selected by: The agency.
Will the public, including scientific or professional societies, be asked to nominate potential peer reviewers? No.
Will there be opportunities for the public to comment on the work product to be peer reviewed? Yes. NMFS will request public comment on the draft biological report if and when a proposed rule to designate critical habitat is published. Public comment on the biological report would be solicited concurrently with publication of the proposed rule. Thus, any such request for public input on the biological report would be done following the completion of peer review.
Will the agency provide significant and relevant public comments to the peer reviewers before they conduct their review? No.
Primary disciplines or expertise needed in the review: Humpback whale biology and ecology, conservation biology, biological oceanography, habitat modeling.
Comments on Peer Review: