February 3, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Under this law, NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the conservation and recovery of more than 160 endangered and threatened marine species—including many marine mammals. The Act has been overwhelmingly successful in preventing their extinction during the last 50 years and has also put many species on the path to recovery.
A recent event hosted at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Whales on the Brink: Stories from Rice’s Whale Discovery and Right Whale Tales, highlighted the ongoing dedication to this effort. NOAA Fisheries, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Marine Mammal Commission, and other partners organized and supported the event. The goal of the symposium was to bring attention to the plight of three endangered large whale species: Rice’s whales, North Pacific right whales, and North Atlantic right whales. Experts from the marine mammal scientific research, conservation, and management communities shared the current state of knowledge and the efforts being undertaken to conserve these species.
In addition to presentations by NOAA Fisheries staff, there were presentations from several outside partners who work in the Marine Mammal Stranding Network or at academic institutions. We’re grateful to all of them for making this event—and indeed our day-to-day conservation work for large whales—possible! Following are highlights from the NOAA Fisheries team’s contributions to this momentous event.