July 5, 2015 — A federal agency has recommended that the rebounding population of humpback whales in the North Atlantic — often visible off Massachusetts’ shores — and in other regions should be removed from the endangered species list.
At a meeting in Plymouth this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration presented its reasoning for upgrading 10 of the 14 populations from endangered species to “fully recovered,” which means less special protections from fisheries and other oceanic activities.
“We’re confident the recovery will be sustained,” Angela Somma, NOAA’s chief endangered species expert, said by phone Thursday. “We view this as a success story.”