[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 249 (Thursday, December 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 67997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32775]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 121996A]
Small Takes of Ringed Seals Incidental to On-Ice Seismic Activity
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of letters of authorization.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as
amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given
that letters of authorization to take ringed seals incidental to on-ice
seismic operations in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska were issued on
December 19, 1996, to BP Exploration, Western Geophysical, and Northern
Geophysical of America, all of Anchorage, AK.
EFFECTIVE DATE: These letters of authorization are effective from
January 1, 1997, through May 31, 1997.
ADDRESSES: The applications and letters are available for review in the
following offices: Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and Western Alaska Field Office, NMFS,
701 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99513.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of
Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2055 or Ron Morris, Western Alaska
Field Office, NMFS, (907) 271-5006.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C.
1361 et seq.) directs NMFS to allow, on request, the incidental, but
not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by U.S.
citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial
fishing) within a specified geographical region, if certain findings
are made and regulations are issued. Under the MMPA, the term
``taking'' means to harass, hunt, capture or kill or to attempt to
harass, hunt, capture or kill marine mammals.
Permission may be granted for periods up to 5 years if the
Secretary of Commerce finds, after notification and opportunity for
public comment, that the taking will have a negligible impact on the
species or stock(s) of marine mammals and will not have an unmitigable
adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for
subsistence uses. In addition, NMFS must prescribe regulations that
include permissible methods of taking and other means effecting the
least practicable adverse impact on the species and its habitat and on
the availability of the species for subsistence uses, paying particular
attention to rookeries, mating grounds and areas of similar
significance. The regulations must include requirements pertaining to
the monitoring and reporting of such taking. Regulations governing the
taking of ringed seals incidental to on-ice seismic activities were
published on January 13, 1993 (58 FR 4091), and remain in effect until
December 31, 1997.
Summary of Requests
NMFS received requests for letters of authorization on the dates
specified from (1) Northern Geophysical of America, 2361 Cinnabar Loop,
Anchorage, AK 99507 (September 10, 1996), (2) Western Geophysical Inc.
351 E. International Airport Road, Anchorage, AK 99518-1299 (September
18, 1996), and (3) BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., 900 East Benson Blvd.
P.O. Box 196612, Anchorage, AK 99519-6612 (October 7, 1996). All
letters request a take by harassment of a small number of ringed seals
incidental to on-ice seismic work in the Beaufort Sea, AK.
Issuance of these letters of authorization is based on findings
that the total takings will have a negligible impact on the ringed seal
species or stock and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of this species for subsistence uses.
Dated: December 19, 1996.
Patricia Montanio,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-32775 Filed 12-24-96; 8:45 am]
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