Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf of Mexico, 28566 [2010-12293]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 98 / Friday, May 21, 2010 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XW34
Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals;
Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental
to the Explosive Removal of Offshore
Structures in the Gulf of Mexico
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of letters of
authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) and implementing regulations,
notification is hereby given that NMFS
has issued one-year Letters of
Authorization (LOA) to take marine
mammals incidental to the explosive
removal of offshore oil and gas
structures (EROS) in the Gulf of Mexico.
DATES: These authorizations are
effective from June 1, 2010 through May
31, 2011, July 1, 2010 through June 30,
2011, and August 1, 2010 through July
31, 2011.
ADDRESSES: The application and LOAs
are available for review by writing to P.
Michael Payne, Chief, Permits,
Conservation, and Education Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910–3235 or by telephoning the
contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT), or online at:
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/
incidental.htm. Documents cited in this
notice may be viewed, by appointment,
during regular business hours, at the
aforementioned address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Howard Goldstein or Jolie Harrison,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
301–713–2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C.
1361 et seq.) directs the Secretary of
Commerce (who has delegated the
authority to NMFS) to allow, upon
request, the incidental, but not
intentional, taking of small numbers of
marine mammals by United States (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 ‘‘take’’ means to harass,
hunt, capture, or kill or to attempt to
harass, hunt, capture, or kill marine
mammal.
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:40 May 20, 2010
Jkt 220001
Authorization for incidental taking, in
the form of annual LOAs, may be
granted by NMFS for periods up to five
years if NMFS 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 (where relevant). In
addition, NMFS must prescribe
regulations that include permissible
methods of taking and other means of
effecting the least practicable adverse
impact on the species and its habitat
(i.e., mitigation), and on the availability
of the species for subsistence uses,
paying particular attention to rookeries,
mating rounds, and areas of similar
significance. The regulations also must
include requirements pertaining to the
monitoring and reporting of such taking.
Regulations governing the taking of
marine mammals incidental to EROS
were published on June 19, 2008 (73 FR
34875), and remain in effect through
July 19, 2013. For detailed information
on this action, please refer to that
Federal Register notice. The species
that applicants may take in small
numbers during EROS activities are
bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops
truncatus), Atlantic spotted dolphins
(Stenella frontalis), pantropical spotted
dolphins (Stenella attenuata), Clymene
dolphins (Stenella clymene), striped
dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba),
spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris),
rough-toothed dolphins (Steno
bredanensis), Risso’s dolphins
(Grampus griseus), melon-headed
whales (Peponocephala electra), shortfinned pilot whales (Globicephala
macrorhynchus), and sperm whales
(Physeter macrocephalus).
Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS
has issued an LOA to Fairways Offshore
Exploration, Inc., El Paso Exploration &
Production Company, L.P., and ATP Oil
& Gas Corporation. Issuance of the LOAs
is based on a finding made in the
preamble to the final rule that the total
taking by these activities (with
monitoring, mitigation, and reporting
measures) will result in no more than a
negligible impact on the affected species
or stock(s) of marine mammals and will
not have an unmitigable adverse impact
on subsistence uses. NMFS also finds
that the applicant will meet the
requirements contained in the
implementing regulations and LOA,
including monitoring, mitigation, and
reporting requirements.
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
Dated: May 17, 2010.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–12293 Filed 5–20–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XW57
New England Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery
Management Council’s (Council)
Groundfish/Scallop Advisory Panel will
meet to consider actions affecting New
England fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Monday, June 7, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Hilton Garden Inn, One Thurber
Street, Warwick, RI 02886; telephone:
(401) 734–9600; fax: (401) 734–9700.
Council address: New England
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul
J. Howard, Executive Director, New
England Fishery Management Council;
telephone: (978) 465–0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The items
of discussion in the panel’s agenda are
as follows:
1. The Joint Groundfish/Scallop
Advisory Panel (AP) will meet to
consider measures that will facilitate
harvesting optimum yield from the two
fisheries by addressing the potential
constraints of groundfish stock
allocations. The Joint AP may also
consider measures to reduce catch of
groundfish in the scallop fishery by
adopting measures that would allow
benefits for the fishery from reduction
in groundfish catch. These measures
will be considered by the Joint
Committee at a future date, and may
become part of an amendment to the
Northeast Multispecies and Scallop
Fishery Management Plans.
2. Other business may also be
discussed.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, those
issues may not be the subject of formal
E:\FR\FM\21MYN1.SGM
21MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 98 (Friday, May 21, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 28566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12293]
[[Page 28566]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XW34
Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals
Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf
of Mexico
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of letters of authorization.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS
has issued one-year Letters of Authorization (LOA) to take marine
mammals incidental to the explosive removal of offshore oil and gas
structures (EROS) in the Gulf of Mexico.
DATES: These authorizations are effective from June 1, 2010 through
May 31, 2011, July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011, and August 1, 2010
through July 31, 2011.
ADDRESSES: The application and LOAs are available for review by
writing to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation, and
Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3235
or by telephoning the contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT), or online at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm. Documents cited in this notice may be viewed, by
appointment, during regular business hours, at the aforementioned
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard Goldstein or Jolie Harrison,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 301-713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C.
1361 et seq.) directs the Secretary of Commerce (who has delegated the
authority to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not
intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by United States
(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
``take'' means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to attempt to
harass, hunt, capture, or kill marine mammal.
Authorization for incidental taking, in the form of annual LOAs,
may be granted by NMFS for periods up to five years if NMFS 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 (where
relevant). In addition, NMFS must prescribe regulations that include
permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least
practicable adverse impact on the species and its habitat (i.e.,
mitigation), and on the availability of the species for subsistence
uses, paying particular attention to rookeries, mating rounds, and
areas of similar significance. The regulations also must include
requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
Regulations governing the taking of marine mammals incidental to EROS
were published on June 19, 2008 (73 FR 34875), and remain in effect
through July 19, 2013. For detailed information on this action, please
refer to that Federal Register notice. The species that applicants may
take in small numbers during EROS activities are bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus), Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis),
pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), Clymene dolphins
(Stenella clymene), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), spinner
dolphins (Stenella longirostris), rough-toothed dolphins (Steno
bredanensis), Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), melon-headed whales
(Peponocephala electra), short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala
macrorhynchus), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus).
Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS has issued an LOA to Fairways
Offshore Exploration, Inc., El Paso Exploration & Production Company,
L.P., and ATP Oil & Gas Corporation. Issuance of the LOAs is based on a
finding made in the preamble to the final rule that the total taking by
these activities (with monitoring, mitigation, and reporting measures)
will result in no more than a negligible impact on the affected species
or stock(s) of marine mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on subsistence uses. NMFS also finds that the applicant will
meet the requirements contained in the implementing regulations and
LOA, including monitoring, mitigation, and reporting requirements.
Dated: May 17, 2010.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-12293 Filed 5-20-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
