Hawaiian False Killer Whale

Hawaiian False Killer Whale

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The main Hawaiian Islands insular population of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) is one of the smallest endangered marine mammal populations in the United States. Recent scientific research estimates that only about 139 individuals remain, and the population is declining at 3.5% per year. If this trend continues, these whales could be functionally extinct within our lifetimes.  

One of the greatest threats to their survival is interactions with nearshore commercial fisheries. False killer whales are known to depredate catch, and in the process, they are sometimes hooked or entangled. Studies have found that almost one-third of individuals have injuries from fishing gear. Stranded whales have even been found with multiple hooks in their stomachs, including one individual that had ingested five different hooks from various types of gear.  

It is important to note that these interactions are not evenly spread across all nearshore commercial fishermen. Research shows that only a few “hotspot” areas around the islands have high overlap between false killer whales and individual fishermen. Most nearshore commercial fishermen in Hawaiʻi never hook a false killer whale. Yet without targeted management action, this small population cannot recover.  

 

The main Hawaiian Islands insular population of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) is one of the smallest endangered marine mammal populations in the United States. Recent scientific research estimates that only about 139 individuals remain, and the population is declining at 3.5% per year. If this trend continues, these whales could be functionally extinct within our lifetimes.  

One of the greatest threats to their survival is interactions with nearshore commercial fisheries. False killer whales are known to depredate catch, and in the process, they are sometimes hooked or entangled. Studies have found that almost one-third of individuals have injuries from fishing gear. Stranded whales have even been found with multiple hooks in their stomachs, including one individual that had ingested five different hooks from various types of gear.  

It is important to note that these interactions are not evenly spread across all nearshore commercial fishermen. Research shows that only a few “hotspot” areas around the islands have high overlap between false killer whales and individual fishermen. Most nearshore commercial fishermen in Hawaiʻi never hook a false killer whale. Yet without targeted management action, this small population cannot recover.  

 

Save Hawaiʻi’s Endangered False Killer Whales

We, the undersigned, call on NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Hawaiʻi’s Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) to take immediate action to safeguard the future of the Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whale Population. Specifically, we urge:  

  1. Targeted monitoring in high-risk areas: Require independent observer coverage or electronic monitoring on nearshore commercial fishing vessels operating in areas with the highest documented risk of false killer whale interactions.  
  2. Focused management solutions: Work with nearshore commercial fishermen in these hotspots to test and adopt practices that reduce depredation and bycatch.  
  3. Transparency and accountability: Ensure that data on fisheries interactions with false killer whales are collected and reported to guide adaptive management.   

The science is clear: without stronger protections, Hawaiʻi will lose its false killer whales. With only 139 left and numbers declining, we cannot wait. By acting now, we can protect this unique population while ensuring sustainable coastal commercial fisheries for future generations.  

Please join us in urging NMFS and DAR to implement these measures and give false killer whales a fighting chance at survival.  

Sign today to protect Hawaiʻi’s false killer whales before it’s too late. 

 

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