ACTION TIMELINE

December 1, 1970 – The northern right whale was listed as an endangered species.

June 3, 1994 – The National Marine Fisheries Service formally designated critical habitat for the northern right whale.

December 12, 2006 – In response to Center litigation, the National Marine Fisheries Service issued a status review confirming that the North Pacific right whale should be defined as a species separate from the North Atlantic right whale. The Fisheries Service also concluded that both species are under serious threat of extinction.

March 6, 2008 – The Fisheries Service officially defined the North Pacific right whale and North Atlantic right whale as two distinct species. The reclassification allowed for enhanced protections of both species.

August 25, 2008 – The National Marine and Fisheries Service proposed speed and path restrictions for seafaring vessels in an effort to protect the North Atlantic right whale from deadly ship-strike accidents.

September 16, 2009 – The Center and allies filed a petition with the National Marine Fisheries Service to help struggling North Atlantic right whales by expanding their critical habitat to include vital areas used for foraging, calving, and migration.

March 31, 2009 – The Obama administration announced a new offshore oil-drilling plan that would open North Atlantic right whale habitat to drilling.

May 25, 2010 – The Center filed a lawsuit to force a response by the National Marine Fisheries Service to our 2009 petition to expand critical habitat for the whale.

October 6, 2010 – The Fisheries Service announced it would indeed expand critical habitat protections for the whale.