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The Committee reiterates its serious concern about Rice’s whale, an isolated population in the Gulf of Mexico with an estimated abundance of around 50 animals (SC1975; SC20165; SC21150; SC22123) and recognises the substantial amount of work that has been conducted by the US on research and management initiatives. Specifically, the Committee: (1) recommends the continuation and expansion of acoustic research efforts, including into basic differences between sexes and among behaviours, to better understand species biology and spatio‐temporal variation; (2) reiterates its recommendation to resume on‐water monitoring to collect the data necessary to estimate abundance and to gather other essential information about this species (SC1975); (3) encourages the continued use of citizen science and outreach as valuable tools for collecting opportunistic data on Rice’s whales; (4) recommends re‐examination of two historic balaenopterid specimens from the coast of Campeche to confirm species ID. |