Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 28013 [E6-7308]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 93 / Monday, May 15, 2006 / Notices
4.Information to compare the distance
and distribution of marine mammals
relative to the source vessel at times
with and without seismic activity.
5.Data on the behavior and movement
patterns of marine mammals seen at
times with and without seismic activity.
Reporting
A report will be submitted to NMFS
within 90 days after the end of the
cruise. The report will describe the
operations that were conducted and the
marine mammals that were detected
near the operations. The report will be
submitted to NMFS, providing full
documentation of methods, results, and
interpretation pertaining to all
monitoring. The 90–day report will
summarize the dates and locations of
seismic operations, and all marine
mammal sightings (dates, times,
locations, activities, associated seis-mic
survey activities). The report will also
include estimates of the amount and
nature of the impacts on marine
mammals resulting from the seismic
survey. Analysis and reporting
conventions will be consistent with
those for the 2005 Healy cruise to
factilitate comparisons and (where
appropriate) pooling of data across the
two seasons.
Endangered Species Act
Pursuant to section 7 of the ESA, the
National Science Foundation (NSF) has
begun consultation on this proposed
seismic survey. NMFS will also consult
on the issuance of an IHA under section
101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA for this
activity. Consultation will be concluded
prior to a determination on the issuance
of an IHA.
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National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)
NSF prepared a Draft Environmental
Assessment of a Marine Geophysical
Survey by the USCG Healy of the
Western Canada Basin, Chukchi
Borderland and Mendeleev Ridge,
Arctic Ocean, July-August 2006. NMFS
will either adopted NSF’s EA or prepare
their own NEPA document prior to the
issuance of an IHA. A copy of the EA
is available at the NMFS website (see
ADDRESSES).
Preliminary Conclusions
NMFS has preliminarily determined
that the impact of conducting the
seismic survey in the Arctic Ocean may
result, at worst, in a temporary
modification in behavior (Level B
Harassment) of small numbers, relative
to the population sizes, of certain
species of marine mammals. The
maximum estimates of take indicate that
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:54 May 12, 2006
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no more than 2.5 percent of the gray
whale and ringed seal populations
would be harassed, and no more than 1
percent of any of the other affected
stocks. This activity is expected to result
in a negligible impact on the affected
species or stocks.
To summarize the reasons stated
previously in this document, this
preliminary determination is supported
by: (1) the likelihood that, given
sufficient notice through slow ship
speed and ramp-up, marine mammals
are expected to move away from a noise
source that is annoying prior to its
becoming potentially injurious; (2)
recent research that indicates that TTS
is unlikely (at least in delphinids) until
levels closer to 200–205 dB re 1 µPa are
reached rather than 180 dB re 1 µPa; (3)
the fact that 200–205 dB isopleths
would be well within 100 m (328 ft) of
the vessel; and (4) the likelihood that
marine mammal detection ability by
trained observers is close to 100 percent
during daytime and remains high at
night to that distance from the seismic
vessel. As a result, no take by injury or
death is anticipated, and the potential
for temporary or permanent hearing
impairment is very low and will be
avoided through the incorporation of
the proposed mitigation measures
mentioned in this document.
While the number of potential
incidental harassment takes will depend
on the distribution and abundance of
marine mammals in the vicinity of the
survey activity, the number of potential
harassment takings is estimated to be
small, and has been mitigated to the
lowest level practicable through
incorporation of the measures
mentioned previously in this document.
The proposed seismic program will
not interfere with any legal subsistence
hunts, since seismic operations will not
be conducted in the same space and
time as the hunts in subsistence whaling
and sealing areas. Therefore, NMFS
believes the issuance of an IHA for this
activity will not have an unmitigable
adverse effect on any marine mammal
species or stocks used for subsistence
purposes.
Proposed Authorization
As a result of these preliminary
determinations, NMFS proposes to issue
an IHA to UTIG for conducting a
seismic survey in the Arctic Ocean from
July 15 - August 25, 2006, provided the
previously mentioned mitigation,
monitoring, and reporting requirements
are incorporated.
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28013
Dated: May 9, 2006.
Donna Wieting,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06–4520 Filed 5–12–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 040706C]
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice of meeting cancellation.
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council is cancelling the
previously-published meeting of the Ad
Hoc Shrimp Effort Working Group
(SEWG) scheduled for May 23–24, 2006.
The SEWG meeting scheduled to
convene at 9 a.m. on Tuesday May 23,
2006 and conclude no later than 3 p.m.
on Wednesday May 24, 2006 has been
cancelled and will be rescheduled at a
later date.
DATES:
Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council, 2203 North Lois
Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Assane Diagne, Economist, telephone
(813) 348–1630.
The
original notice published in the Federal
Register on April 13, 2006 (71 FR
19167). The Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council) has
canceled the meeting of the Ad Hoc
Shrimp Effort Working Group scheduled
to convene at 9 a.m. on Tuesday May
23, 2006 and conclude no later than 3
p.m. on Wednesday May 24, 2006 and
will be rescheduled at a later date.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: May 9, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–7308 Filed 5–12–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
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15MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 93 (Monday, May 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 28013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7308]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 040706C]
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of meeting cancellation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is cancelling
the previously-published meeting of the Ad Hoc Shrimp Effort Working
Group (SEWG) scheduled for May 23-24, 2006.
DATES: The SEWG meeting scheduled to convene at 9 a.m. on Tuesday May
23, 2006 and conclude no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday May 24, 2006
has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.
ADDRESSES: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 North Lois
Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Assane Diagne, Economist, telephone
(813) 348-1630.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The original notice published in the Federal
Register on April 13, 2006 (71 FR 19167). The Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council) has canceled the meeting of the Ad Hoc
Shrimp Effort Working Group scheduled to convene at 9 a.m. on Tuesday
May 23, 2006 and conclude no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday May 24,
2006 and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Dated: May 9, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-7308 Filed 5-12-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
