False Killer Whale

All false killer whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale is protected under both the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the MMPA. NOAA Fisheries has taken steps to reduce incidental serious injury and death of false killer whales in the Hawaiʻi-based deep-set and shallow-set longline commercial fisheries. NOAA Fisheries also designated critical habitat for the endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale in 2018. A draft recovery plan and draft implementation strategy, which outline ways to recover the endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale, will be published in 2020. A final recovery plan and final recovery implementation strategy for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale are anticipated in 2021, as is a 5-year status review to determine if the endangered listing is still appropriate.

Under the ESA, NOAA Fisheries is required to develop and implement recovery plans for the conservation and survival of listed species. We are committed to the protection and recovery of the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale, with the ultimate goal of helping this distinct population segment recover from its very low population size. This would allow the population to be reclassified from “endangered” to “threatened” and ultimately be removed from the list of protected species.

Recovery Outline

The ESA mandates that NOAA Fisheries develop and implement recovery plans for the conservation and survival of ESA-listed species under its jurisdiction. In September 2016, we developed a recovery outline (PDF, 23 pages) to systematically and cohesively guide recovery actions for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale until we completed a recovery plan.

Recovery Planning Workshop

On October 25–28, 2016, we held a recovery planning workshop for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale. The purpose of the workshop was to review and update the original threats analysis from the 2012 final listing rule and the 2010 Status Review Report, as well as identify potential recovery criteria and actions to address the threats to the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale. Participants included federal and state agencies, scientific experts, commercial and recreational fishermen, conservation partners, and nongovernmental organizations.

• Recovery Planning Workshop Agenda (PDF, 7 pages)
• Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whale Recovery Outline (PDF, 23 pages)
• Recovery Planning Workshop Summary (PDF, 27 pages)

Recovery Plan Preparation

In addition to using recovery planning guidance, we based this plan on a recovery planning approach developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and recently adopted by NOAA Fisheries as an optional approach to traditional recovery plans. In this approach, recovery planning components are divided into three separate documents. The 3-part strategy, briefly described below, will make recovery planning more efficient and effective and create a more dynamic and flexible plan, presented in three independent parts—a recovery status review, a recovery plan, and a recovery implementation strategy.

Recovery Status Review

Using the 2010 Status Review Report for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale as a foundation, we developed an up-to-date Recovery Status Review for the species. A Recovery Status Review is a stand-alone document that provides all the detailed information on the species’ biology, ecology, status and threats, and conservation efforts to date. This document, which published on October 16, 2020 can be updated as necessary with new information and used for various purposes, including 5-year reviews, section 7 analyses, and section 10 conservation plans. Traditionally, this information was included in the background of a recovery plan and became outdated quickly. As a stand-alone living document, information can be kept more relevant.

Recovery Plan

We published a Draft Recovery Plan for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale on October 16, 2020 (85 FR 65791). The three statutory elements required in a recovery plan are contained in this second stand-alone document:

1. Objective, measurable recovery criteria.
2. A description of site-specific management actions necessary to conserve the species.
3. Estimates of the time and costs required to achieve the plan’s goals.

In this Draft Recovery Plan, actions are described at a higher-level and are more strategic. In addition, a brief introduction to the plan describes its vision (what the recovered species looks like) and strategy (the rationale for, and how we plan to get to a recovered state). This introduction provides the trail of logic for recovery and references the Recovery Status Review.

Additionally, the Draft Recovery Plan recommends the following recovery objectives for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale:

• Ensure population abundance, trend, and number of social groups meet or exceed target levels.
• Address threats from fisheries including incidental take and competition with fisheries for prey.
• Address threats from environmental contaminants and biotoxins.
• Address threats from anthropogenic noise.
• Better understand the effects of climate change and manage accordingly.
• Ensure that regulatory mechanisms, including state and federal management and post-delisting monitoring, are in place.
• Ensure that secondary threats and synergies among threats are not limiting recovery of the population. 

Learn more about the recovery of species under the Endangered Species Act

Recovery Implementation Strategy

Lastly, we published a Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale on October 16, 2020 (85 FR 65791). This third document is a flexible, operational document that is intended to assist NOAA Fisheries and other stakeholders in planning and implementing activities to carry out the recovery actions in the Recovery Plan. The stepped-down recovery activities identified in the Recovery Implementation Strategy can be adapted or modified as the science evolves and—as long as the activities don’t meaningfully deviate from the recovery actions, objectives, and criteria—not need to go out for public comment with each change, therefore maximizing flexibility in recovery implementation. (If/when the science indicates that meaningful changes to the recovery actions, objectives, and criteria are necessary, the recovery plan will be revised and go out for public comment.) This affords us the ability to modify these activities in real time to reflect changes in the information available as well as progress towards recovery. 

All documents used to inform the recovery of the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale—including the Recovery Status Review, Draft Recovery Plan, and Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy—underwent peer review. Public comments on both the Draft Recovery Plan and Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy will be accepted through December 15, 2020, and will be considered before finalizing the recovery plan and recovery implementation strategy, anticipated in 2021.

Learn more about the recovery of species under the Endangered Species Act

Critical Habitat Designation

On July 24, 2018, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to designate critical habitat under the ESA for main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whales in waters from 45 meters to 3,200 meters (49 to 3,500 yards) in depth surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands (from Ni‘ihau to Hawai‘i Island). This designation does not include most bays, harbors, or coastal in-water structures. Within this larger area, NOAA Fisheries excluded 10 areas from the designation due to economic and national security impacts. In addition, two areas are ineligible for designation because they are managed under the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan that was found to benefit main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whales. The total area includes approximately 49,948 km² (19,280 mi²) of marine habitat.

Learn more about the final rule to designate critical habitat for the main Hawaiian islands insular false killer whale DPS

5-Year Status Review

On October 16, 2020, we announced our intention to conduct a 5-year status review for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale distinct population segment to determine if it should still be listed as endangered under the ESA (85 FR 65791). Public information and comments accepted through December 15, 2020, will be used to inform the 5-year status review, anticipated for release in 2021.

A false killer whale, observed during the 2017 Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey. Photo: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center/Charlotte Boyd.

Reducing Interactions with Fishing Gear

Bycatch in fishing gear is a leading cause of false killer whale deaths and injuries. To reduce deaths and serious injuries of false killer whales from Hawai‘i-based deep-set and shallow-set longline fisheries, NOAA Fisheries established a take reduction team. We then published a final take reduction plan and final rule to implement the plan in 2012, based on the take reduction team's recommendations. The final rule includes gear requirements (“weak” circle hooks and strong branch lines) in the deep-set longline fishery, longline fishing closure areas, training and certification for vessel owners and captains in marine mammal handling and release, captains’ supervision of marine mammal handling and release, and posting of placards on longline vessels to aid in species identification and handling and release techniques. We also develop research priorities to support the plan’s implementation and inform development of potential future amendments, and we monitor its progress toward achieving MMPA goals.

Learn more about the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan

False killer whales are classified as data deficient on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. NOAA Fisheries funds several research studies on life history and stock structure of false killer whales in Hawaiʻi.

Partnering with the State of Hawaiʻi

NOAA Fisheries partners with the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Department of Aquatic Resources to undertake cooperative conservation and long-term management of the endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale. Our objectives include:

• Conducting field work to address false killer whales’ spatial and temporal habitat use.
• Analyzing overlap between false killer whales and Hawaiʻi state fisheries.
• Investigating strandings.
• Providing targeted outreach to specific fishers, boaters, and tour operators to mitigate or reduce interactions with false killer whales; improve species identification to complement research; and increase public reporting of strandings.

These efforts are funded in part via an ESA section 6 cooperative agreement grant.

Overseeing Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response

We work with volunteer networks in all coastal states to respond to marine mammal strandings. When stranded animals are found alive, NOAA Fisheries and our partners assess the animal’s health. When stranded animals are found dead, our scientists work to understand and investigate the cause of death. Although the cause often remains unknown, scientists can sometimes identify strandings due to disease, harmful algal blooms, vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, pollution exposure, and underwater noise. Some strandings can serve as indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues that may also have implications for human health and welfare.

Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an unusual mortality event (UME) is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response." To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events.

Get information on active and past UMEs

Get an overview of marine mammal UMEs

False Killer Whale Populations Managed under the MMPA

All false killer whales that reside in the United States are protected under the MMPA. Although there are three populations or stocks of false killer whales in Hawaiian waters, only the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale is listed as depleted (i.e., they have fallen below their optimum sustainable population level). Under the MMPA, the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan addresses the threat of incidental serious injury and death of false killer whales in the Hawaiʻi-based deep-set and shallow-set longline fisheries.

False Killer Whale Populations Managed under the ESA

The main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale is the only false killer whale population protected under the ESA.

In 2009, NOAA Fisheries received a petition [PDF, 29 pages] to list the Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale as an endangered species and designate critical habitat under the ESA.

NOAA Fisheries reviewed the petition and determined that a status review for the Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale should be conducted.

On November 17, 2010, NOAA Fisheries completed a status review of the Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale and proposed to list it as an endangered DPS under the ESA. Read the ESA status review report.

On November 28, 2012, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule listing the Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale as an endangered DPS under the ESA.

In August 2018, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to designate critical habitat under the ESA for the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale in waters from 45 meters to 3,200 meters in depth surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands (from Niʻihau to Hawaiʻi Island). 

On October 16, 2020, NOAA Fisheries published a Draft Recovery Plan and Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy to identify actions that will protect the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale.

NOAA Fisheries conducts research on the biology, behavior, ecology, and genetics of false killer whales, with a special focus on Hawaiian false killer whales. We use the results of this research to inform management decisions, further direct scientific research, and enhance conservation and recovery efforts for the species.

In collaboration with fishermen of the Hawaiʻi longline deep-set fishery, we conduct research to investigate interactions between false killer whales and fishing gear. We deploy small, autonomous acoustic recorders on longline fishing gear to acoustically monitor fishing sets for the presence of false killer whales. We compare the acoustic presence of false killer whales to fishing activity and depredation rates to assess vessel and gear sounds and false killer whale occurrence and behavior around gear, as well as to identify potential acoustic cues.

Visual Observations

We collect observations of whales and dolphins following line-transect protocols. Observers continuously search for animals using 25x150 "big-eye" binoculars to scan 180° forward of the ship. When they spot whales or dolphins, the visual team identifies the species and each observer independently estimates the number of animals in the group.

The notches on the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of the false killer whale on the right form a unique pattern, allowing this individual to be identified each time it is photographed. Photo: NOAA Fisheries.

Passive Acoustic Surveys

Sound travels much farther in water than light, and cetaceans commonly use sound rather than vision to communicate with each other and find food. Just as cetaceans listen for each other and for their prey, we can listen to their sounds to locate groups of whales and dolphins.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Target species for Unmanned Aircraft Systems operations include false killer whales, short-finned pilot whales, sperm whales, and Bryde’s whales. We may also conduct flights during sightings of rare and high-profile species, such as killer whales, blue whales, and North Pacific right whales, to maximize the information gained from such unique opportunities.

Surveying with Drifting Autonomous Spar Buoy Recorders

We’ve broadly used autonomous (no human intervention needed) stationary acoustic recorders to understand the distribution and seasonality of cetaceans throughout the world’s oceans. Our scientists maintain a network of seafloor-anchored passive acoustic listening stations to listen for cetaceans and understand ocean noise.

Identifying "Mystery Whales" Using Environmental DNA

The name eDNA derives from the collection method—essentially, we are detecting the DNA of an individual as it passes through the environment and sheds small bits of tissue, such as sloughed skin.

Ocean Noise Reference Stations

To monitor ocean noise, NOAA has deployed acoustic monitoring stations throughout U.S. waters that together make up the Ocean Noise Reference Station Network. One of these stations is located approximately 100 miles north of Oʻahu.