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These regulations would maintain existing humpback approach regulations. The purpose of the rule is to protect humpback whales from forms of "take" as defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and its implementing regulations. The National Marine Fisheries Service established approach regulations for humpback whales under the Endangered Species Act in 1995; corresponding Marine Mammal Protection Act regulations are necessary and appropriate to ensure that humpback whales in Hawaii continue to receive protections from activities that result in take in the event that humpback whales are no longer protected under the Endangered Species Act. These final Marine Mammal Protection Act regulations are virtually the same as existing Endangered Species Act regulations, and will result in no change to the local economy or to the whale watching industry.