batch_auto_20260713 202607131256465730 BOEM ESP geoESPIS ESPIS@boem.gov Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Vessel Strike Risk to Rice's Whale in the Gulf of Mexico: Review of Previous Methodologies, Information Gaps, and Recommendations for Future Efforts to Predict Strike Risks CSA Ocean Sciences, Inc. Continental Shelf Associates, Inc. In the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), the endangered Rice's whales (Balaenoptera ricei) are especially susceptible to vessel strike due to their surface behaviors, particularly at night, when individuals may spend up to 88 percent of their time at the surface. This behavior puts Rice’s whales within the draft of large vessels (i.e., cargo, tanker), increasing strike risk. High volumes of vessel traffic exist in the Gulf, driven by its role as a major hub for international and national shipping, oil and gas, and commercial fishing activities. An assessment of literature, reports, and data sets that present methods and results related to vessel strike risk for the Rice's whale was conducted to inform risk assessments and to provide recommendations on future vessel strike risk analyses. 68721 U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Environmental Studies Program https://doi.org/10.13039/100012475 M0124P0008 10.67297/9A1F78 https://boem.gov/awardpages/100600