July 26, 2018 –A federal agency will designate waters around Hawaii as protected critical habitat for endangered false killer whales.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports about 17,500 square miles (45,300 square kilometers) of ocean habitat will be protected under a new rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service.
The rule was published Tuesday in the Federal Register and goes into effect Aug. 23.
The waters around the state host about 150 false killer whales, which are actually members of the dolphin family.