Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation Photo Credit: Anthony Davidson (University of Otago) National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources Silver Spring, MD March 2021 1 5-YEAR REVIEW Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION .............................................................................................. 5 1.1 Reviewers ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Methodology used to complete review ............................................................................ 5 1.3 Background ...................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.1 FR Notice citation announcing initiation of this review ........................................... 5 1.3.2 Listing History .......................................................................................................... 5 1.3.3 Associated rulemakings ............................................................................................ 6 1.3.4 Review History ......................................................................................................... 6 1.3.5 Species’ Recovery Priority Number at start of 5-year review .................................. 6 1.3.6 Recovery Plan or Outline .......................................................................................... 6 2.0 REVIEW ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Application of the 1996 Distinct Population Segment (DPS) policy ............................... 6 2.1.1 Is the species under review a vertebrate? .................................................................. 7 2.1.2 Is the species under review listed as a DPS? ............................................................ 7 2.1.3 Is there relevant new information for this species regarding the application of the DPS Policy?..... ......................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Recovery Criteria ............................................................................................................. 8 2.2.1 Does the species have a final, approved recovery plan containing objective, measurable criteria?.... .............................................................................................. 8 2.3 Updated Information and Current Species Status ............................................................ 8 2.3.1 Biology and Habitat .................................................................................................. 8 2.3.1.1 New information on the species’ biology and life history: ........................... 8 2.3.1.2 Abundance, population trends (e.g. increasing, decreasing, stable), demographic features (e.g., age structure, sex ratio, family size, birth rate, age at mortality, mortality rate, etc.), or demographic trends: .......................................... 16 2.3.1.3 Genetics, genetic variation, or trends in genetic variation (e.g., loss of genetic variation, genetic drift, inbreeding, etc.): ................................................... 23 2.3.1.4 Spatial distribution, trends in spatial distribution (e.g. increasingly fragmented, increased numbers of corridors, etc.), or historic range (e.g. corrections to the historical range, change in distribution of the species’ within its historic range, etc.) ............................................................................................................... 27 2 2.3.1.5 Habitat or ecosystem conditions (e.g., amount, distribution, and suitability of the habitat or ecosystem): ................................................................................... 35 2.3.1.6 Other: .......................................................................................................... 37 2.3.2 Five-Factor Analysis ............................................................................................... 37 2.3.2.1 .. Present or threatened destruction, modification or curtailment of its habitat or range:……. ......................................................................................................... 37 2.3.2.2 Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes: ................................................................................................................. 38 2.3.2.3 Disease or predation:................................................................................... 42 2.3.2.4 Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms: ......................................... 45 2.3.2.5 Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence: ......... 51 2.4 Synthesis......................................................................................................................... 55 3.0 RESULTS .......................................................................................................................... 57 3.1 Recommended Classification ......................................................................................... 57 3.2 New Recovery Priority Number ..................................................................................... 57 3.3 Listing and Reclassification Priority Number ................................................................ 57 4.0 RECOMMENDATONS FOR FUTURE ACTIONS......................................................... 58 5.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 59 3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Change in distribution and abundance of southern right whales (source: Harcourt et al., 2019)……………………………………………………………………………………….……10 Figure 2. Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) distribution map (source: Cooke & Zerbini, 2018)…………………………………………………………………………………………….30 4 5-YEAR REVIEW Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) 1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Reviewers Lead Regional or Headquarters Office: Heather Austin, Office of Protected Resources, 301-427-8422 1.2 Methodology used to complete review A 5-year review is a periodic analysis of a species’ status conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species currently listed as threatened or endangered on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (List) (50 CFR 17.11 – 17.12) is accurate. The 5-year review is required by section 4(c)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA) and was prepared pursuant to the joint National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 5-year Review Guidance and Template (NMFS and USFWS 2018). The NMFS Office of Protected Resources (OPR) conducted the 5-year review. Information was updated from the 5-year review completed in 2015, based on peer-reviewed publications, government and technical reports, conference papers, workshop reports, dissertations and theses. We gathered information through September 2020. The information on the southern right whale biology and habitat, threats, and conservation efforts were summarized and analyzed in light of the ESA section 4(a)(1) factors (see Section 2.3.2) to determine whether a reclassification or delisting may be warranted (see Section 3.0). NMFS initiated a 5-year review of the southern right whale and solicited information from the public on August 14, 2020 (85 FR 49640). Two public comments were received and incorporated as appropriate in this review. 1.3 Background 1.3.1 FR Notice citation announcing initiation of this review 85 FR 49640, August 14, 2020 1.3.2 Listing History Original Listing FR notice: 35 FR 18319 Date listed: 12/02/1970 Entity listed: Eubalaena spp. Classification: Endangered In 1970, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed all members of the genus Eubalaena on the List of Endangered Foreign Fish and Wildlife under the Endangered Species and Conservation Act (ESCA) of 1969. In 1974, following the passage of the ESA, all 5 members of the genus Eubalaena were transferred to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the ESA. 1.3.3 Associated rulemakings None 1.3.4 Review History S.L. Perry, D.P. DeMaster, and G.K. Silber. 1999. The Great Whales: History and Status of Six Species Listed as Endangered Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973. Marine Fisheries Review 61:1, pp.44-51. Department of Commerce. Conclusion: No change in classification indicated. NMFS. 2007. Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) 5-year review: summary and evaluation. Office of Protected Resources Silver Spring, MD. 43 pages. Conclusion: No change in classification indicated. NMFS. 2015. Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) 5-year review: summary and evaluation. Office of Protected Resources Silver Spring, MD. 53 pages. Conclusion: Recommended downlisting from endangered to threatened. 1.3.5 Species’ Recovery Priority Number at start of 5-year review No recovery priority number has been issued for the southern right whale. 1.3.6 Recovery Plan or Outline No recovery plan has been completed for the southern right whale. Section 4(f) of the ESA requires NOAA Fisheries to develop and implement recovery plans for conservation and survival of all endangered or threatened species, unless such a plan will not promote the conservation of the species. In general, listed species which occur entirely outside U.S. jurisdiction