Notice of Intent to Prepare a Recovery Plan for the Central America, Mexico, and Western North Pacific DPSs of Humpback Whales

NOAA Fisheries is announcing its intent to prepare a recovery plan for three distinct population segments (DPSs) of humpback whales and requests information from the public. The current species-wide recovery plan originally prepared in 1991 will be replaced by a new recovery plan specific to the endangered Western North Pacific DPS, the endangered Central America DPS, and the threatened Mexico DPS of humpback whales. We request submission of any information on these DPSs of humpback whales, particularly information on the status, threats, and recovery of the DPSs that has become available since the listing status was revised in 2016 and was not considered as part of the critical habitat designation in 2021.