Trump Administration Delays Protections for Endangered Rice’s Whale in Gulf of Mexico

The U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has decided to postpone the final rule that would designate protections for the endangered Rice’s whale in the oil and gas drilling region of the Gulf of Mexico. This decision, reached through an agreement with environmental groups, extends the deadline by two years.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Marine Fisheries Service has agreed to finalize the critical geographic area for the survival of the Rice’s whale by July 15, 2027. This extension comes after the initial deadline of July 15 of this year was postponed. The agreement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on July 3.

The agreement states, “NMFS continues to make diligent progress on this complex Final Rule but requires additional time to analyze the impact of the Rule and evaluate the science underlying it. As part of that process, NMFS plans to coordinate its efforts with the scientific and academic communities.”

Legal Battle and Conservation Efforts

This delay is part of an ongoing legal battle involving conservationists, the oil and gas industry, and the federal government over protecting the Rice’s whale, which was recognized as a unique species in 2021. Previously, it was considered a Gulf of Mexico subspecies of the Bryde’s whale.

With likely fewer than 100 Rice’s whales remaining in the Gulf of Mexico, according to NMFS, conservation efforts are crucial. These mammals, reaching up to 41 feet in length and weighing up to 60,000 lbs, are primarily found in the Eastern Gulf, off the coast of Florida, but have also been sighted in western areas off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.

Industry Response and Environmental Concerns

Oil and gas companies operating in the region have welcomed the delay, as it alleviates restrictions that were set to impact their operations in key parts of the northern Gulf. The proposed expansion of the whale’s critical habitat to the central and western Gulf under Biden’s administration was a cause for concern, potentially limiting exploration and development activities in productive areas.

Green groups and government scientists have underlined the threats posed by oil and gas operations to the continued existence of the Rice’s whale. Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association, expressed support for extending the timeline, stating, “Given how much work is needed to get this rule right, extending the deadline is both responsible and necessary.”

As the legal and environmental battle continues, the fate of the Rice’s whale in the Gulf of Mexico hangs in the balance, with stakeholders working towards a sustainable solution that balances conservation efforts with economic interests.

(Reuters – Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Mark Porter, David Gregorio and Richard Chang)