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COMPTUEX/JTFEX EA/OEA Final Chapter 3North Pacific Right Whale (Eubalaena japonica 2 )Status—The North Pacific right whale is listed as endangered under the ESA, and the North PacificStock is, therefore, considered depleted and strategic under the MMPA. It may be the most endangered ofthe large whale species (Perry et al., 1999). The stock was severely depleted by commercial whaling,from an initial population of more than 11,000 (NMFS, 1991) to at most 100–200 (Wada, 1973; Brahamand Rice, 1984). No reliable population estimate presently exists for this species (Angliss and Outlaw,2005); the population in the eastern North Pacific Ocean is considered to be very small, perhaps only inthe tens of animals (NMFS, 2002; Clapham et al., 2004), whereas in the western North Pacific Ocean, thepopulation may number at least in the low hundreds (Brownell et al., 2001; Clapham et al., 2004). Onlyone North Pacific right whale calf has been seen in the eastern North Pacific Ocean (in the southeasternBering Sea) since 1980 (Balance, 2002). There is no designated critical habitat for the North Pacific rightwhale in the SOCAL OPAREA, critical habitat has only been designated in the Gulf of Alaska, BeringSea and areas of the Atlantic Ocean (NMFS, 2002 and 2006).Distribution—The historic range of the North Pacific right whale included the entire North Pacific northof 35ºN, and included occasional sightings as far south as 20ºN. Recent sightings have been near shore incontinental shelf waters, but it must be noted that there have been more opportunities for sightings innearshore than in offshore waters.Current distribution patterns and migration routes of North Pacific right whales are not known (Scarff,1986; NMFS, 2002), nor is the extent to which they engage in north-south migrations in the eastern NorthPacific Ocean (Scarff, 1986). The location of winter calving grounds for the eastern North Pacificpopulation is unknown (Scarff, 1986; NMFS, 2002; Clapham et al., 2004). In summer, the eastern BeringSea is used for foraging (NMFS, 2002). Right whales have been observed each summer since 1996 in theeastern Bering Sea in roughly the same location (Goddard and Rugh, 1998; Moore et al., 2000; Tynan etal., 2001).Despite many miles of systematic aerial and ship-based surveys for marine mammals off the coasts ofOregon/Washington/California over the years, only seven documented sightings of right whales weremade from 1990 to 2000 (Waite et al., 2003). Most of the sightings have been of single animals, andmost occurred in winter or early spring (March–May) and very close to shore (Scarff, 1991). It is highlyunlikely for this species to be present in the SOCAL OPAREA, generally it occurs 35 degrees north.North Pacific right whales probably feed almost exclusively on calanoid copepods (Canalus marshallae),a type of zooplankton. High concentrations of copepods have been recorded in zooplankton samplescollected in 1997 and 1999 near right whales in the North Pacific. When feeding, a right whale skimsprey from the water (Pivorunas, 1979). Feeding can occur throughout the water column (Watkins andSchevill, 1976, 1979; Goodyear, 1993; Winn et al., 1995).Dives of 5 to 15 min or even longer have been reported (Winn et al., 1995; Mate et al., 1997;Baumgartner and Mate, 2003). Baumgartner and Mate (2003) found that the average depth of a NorthAtlantic right whale dive was strongly correlated with both the average depth of peak copepod abundance2 On December 27, 2006, NMFS completed a status review of the northern right whale concluding that right whalesin the northern hemisphere exist as two species: North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) and North Atlanticright whale (E. glacialis). This document uses E. japonica throughout.3-39 February 2007