Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Endangered Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whale Distinct Population Segment - Draft ESA Section 4(b)(2) Report

This report contains the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) recommendations for critical habitat under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), for the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) insular false killer whale (IFKW) distinct population segment (DPS), which was listed under the ESA on December 28, 2012 (77 FR 70915; November 28, 2012). This report documents NMFS’ compliance with section 4(b)(2) of the ESA regarding the impacts of designating critical habitat for the MHI IFKW DPS. The report also describes the process followed, methods used, and conclusions reached for each step leading to the critical habitat designation along with the applicable laws, court rulings, executive orders, and policies.