Rice's whales

Federal officials’ rejection of a petition seeking to protect a rare whale species in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico has proponents saying the action leaves the endangered species “at risk of extinction.”

Florida Ports Council President and CEO Mike Rubin is raising alarms that proposed changes to protect an endangered whale species could economically hurt ports from Tampa to Pensacola.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is nearing the end of a public-comment period on a petition from conservation organizations to establish a year-round 10-knot vessel speed limit in the “core” habitat area of the endangered Rice’s whale.Rubin wants the petition tossed.

"These agencies are basically pretending that another catastrophic oil spill cannot possibly occur, cannot possibly be a risk for the Gulf of Mexico. And we know that that risk is real, and they need to be paying attention to that," said Chris Eaton, Earthjustice attorney.

We talk with Earthjustice Oceans Program Senior Attorney Chris Eaton about the ongoing legal battle to protect Rice’s whales from extinction. The species small population of under 100 animals lives year-round in the northeaster Gulf of Mexico where they face threats from ocean noise, marine vessel traffic, oil and gas activity, and the threat of future oil spills.