Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf of Mexico, 13865-13867 [2013-04791]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Notices
of bycatch, economic discard and
regulatory discard, or for chartering
arrangements.’’ Further, 50 CFR 635.32
(g) indicates ‘‘we may consolidate
requests for the purpose of obtaining
public comment for Atlantic HMS EFPs.
In such cases, we may file with the
Office of the Federal Register, on an
annual or more frequent basis as
necessary, a notification of previously
authorized activities and information
concerning applications that we may
receive in the forthcoming year.’’ The
annual NOI meets the requirements of
both 50 CFR 635.32 (a)(1) and 50 CFR
600.745 in most cases and, in cases
where the requested activity is outside
the scope of general scientific sampling
and tagging, a separate notice is
provided. Other relevant information
related to the statutory authority for
issuance of EFPs and related permits is
described in the NOI published on
November 20, 2012, and is not repeated
here.
The majority of EFPs and related
permits described within the annual
NOI relate to scientific sampling and
tagging of Atlantic HMS. The majority of
these types of permits and the impacts
of the activities conducted under these
permits have been previously analyzed
in various environmental assessments
and environmental impact statements
for Atlantic HMS. As such, generally,
we do not receive significant comments
from the public. Because our intent to
issue such permits has not changed, we
will issue these types of permits without
public comment beyond the opportunity
provided in the annual NOI. However,
occasionally we do receive applications
for permits that were not anticipated or
where the research being conducted is
outside the scope of general scientific
sampling and tagging of Atlantic HMS.
When we receive such applications, we
will provide the public additional
opportunity to comment, consistent
with regulations in 50 CFR 600.745.
On the November 2012 NOI, we
received numerous public comments,
the majority of which expressed concern
regarding EFP applications that may
request access to the Florida East Coast
or Charleston Bump time/area closures
using pelagic longline vessels to
conduct research. Commenters on this
subject did not support this type of
research. At this time, we have not
received any applications requesting
access to these, or other closed areas,
using pelagic longline vessels. Rather,
similar to NOIs published in the past for
the Atlantic HMS EFP program, the goal
of this past NOI was to inform the
public that the Agency may be receiving
applications for this type of research in
2013. As is true for any application, if
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16:40 Feb 28, 2013
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applications are received in 2013 that
are beyond the scope of the NOI, we
would complete additional analyses
evaluating the impacts on the human
environment of this type of research
and, if warranted, allow additional
opportunity for the public to comment
on the proposed activities before issuing
any formal authorization or EFP.
Specifically on closed area research,
compensation fishing, and aquaculture
requests that require exemption from
regulation, we will provide additional
opportunities for public comment when
complete applications are received and
necessary analyses have been
conducted.
We also received comments in
opposition to the issuance of EFPs for
the culture of bluefin tuna without
additional opportunity for public
comment. This comment stemmed from
the issuance of an EFP in 2012 to
scientists interested in conducting
experiments to culture yellowfin and
bluefin tuna in land-based recirculating
tanks. The 2012 EFP authorized the
collection of up to six yellowfin and
bluefin tuna using rod and reel. The
2012 permit was issued without the
Agency seeking additional public
comment on the activity because of the
limited scope of the activity and the fact
that no tuna captured under the
authority of the permit would be sold or
released back into the ocean. The
applicants did not catch any bluefin
tuna that were under the recreational
size limit in 2012. As stated above, due
in part to the comment received on the
NOI, we will provide additional
opportunities for public comment when
complete applications on aquaculture,
closed area research, or compensation
fishing are received and necessary
analyses have been conducted.
A comment was received citing a
requirement at 50 CFR 600.745 (b)(3)(i)
that we seek public comment for 15–45
days on every application, prior to
issuing a permit. As described above,
we believe the annual NOI provides the
opportunity for public comment in most
cases. However, we will provide
additional opportunity for the public to
comment in 2013 if applications are
beyond the scope of general scientific
sampling and tagging of HMS, and
specifically for any applications
received that involve aquaculture,
closed area research, or compensation
fishing.
We also received several comments in
support of issuance of Display Permits
for collection of Atlantic HMS for public
display and education.
Final decisions on the issuance of any
EFPs, SRPs, Display Permits, and
Chartering Permits will depend on the
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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13865
submission of all required information
about the proposed activities; public
comments received on the November
20, 2012, NOI; an applicant’s reporting
history on past permits issued, any prior
violations of marine resource laws
administered by NOAA; consistency
with relevant NEPA documents; and
any consultations with appropriate
Regional Fishery Management Councils,
states, or Federal agencies. We do not
anticipate any significant environmental
impacts from the issuance of EFPs and
related permits as assessed in the 1999
Fishery Management Plan, Amendment
2 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP,
2011 Bluefin Tuna Specifications, and
2012 Swordfish Specifications.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 26, 2013.
Kara Meckley,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–04820 Filed 2–28–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC462
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 (LOA).
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) and implementing regulations,
notification is hereby given that NMFS
has issued one-year LOAs 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 February 27, 2013
through July 19, 2013.
ADDRESSES: The application and LOAs
are available for review by writing to P.
Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and
Conservation 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:
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\01MRN1.SGM
01MRN1
13866
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Notices
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,
301–427–8401.
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
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
any 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 notice and
opportunity for public comment, that
the total taking over the five-year period
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). NMFS
received requests for LOAs from Energy
Resource Technology GOM, Inc. (ERT)
and Demex International, Inc. (Demex)
for activities covered by EROS
regulations.
Reporting
NMFS Galveston Laboratory’s
Platform Removal Observer Program
(PROP) has provided reports for ERT’s
removal of offshore structures during
2012. Demex does not have reports for
any operations to date. NMFS PROP
observers and non-NMFS observers
reported the following during ERT’s
EROS operations in 2012:
Company
Structure
Dates
Marine mammals sighted
(individuals)
ERT ........
South Marsh Island Area, Block 15,
Platform A.
East Cameron Area, Block 185,
Platform C.
East Cameron Area, Block 184,
Platform A.
Vermilion Area, Block 162, Platform
C.
Vermilion Area, Block 250, Platform
I.
Vermilion Area, Block 182, Platform
JA.
South Timbalier Area, Block 63,
Caisson #18.
May 2 to 7, 2012
Bottlenose dolphins (99) .................
None.
May 8 to 14, 2012
Spotted dolphins (28); Unidentified
dolphins (6).
Bottlenose dolphins (25); Spotted
dolphins (13).
Spotted dolphins (23) .....................
None.
None.
None ...............................................
None.
Spotted dolphins (22) .....................
None.
Bottlenose dolphins (51) .................
None.
Bottlenose dolphins (19) .................
None.
Spotted dolphins (22) .....................
None.
Bottlenose dolphins (22); Unidentified dolphins (50).
None ...............................................
None.
None.
Bottlenose dolphins (23) .................
None.
None ...............................................
None.
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
ERT ........
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ERT ........
South Timbalier Area, Block 63,
Caisson #23.
Vermilion Area, Block 182, Platform
JB.
South Timbalier Area, Block 63,
Caisson I.
South Timbalier Area, Block 63,
Caisson J.
Ship Shoal Area, Block 223, Platform F.
South Timbalier Area, Block 63,
Caisson 21.
Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS
has issued LOAs to ERT and Demex.
Issuance of the LOAs is based on a
finding made in the preamble to the
final rule that the total taking over the
five-year period (with monitoring,
mitigation, and reporting measures) will
have a negligible impact on the affected
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:40 Feb 28, 2013
Jkt 229001
May 15 to 21,
2012.
May 20 to 23,
2012.
May 23 to June 2,
2012.
June 3 to 8, 2012
June 3 to 4, 2012;
June 17 to 19,
2012.
June 5 to 8, 2012
June 8 to 15,
2012.
June 9 to 14,
2012.
June 14 to 16,
2012.
August 15 to 20,
2012.
August 21 to 22,
2012.
species or stock(s) of marine mammals
and will not have an unmitigable
adverse impact on subsistence uses.
NMFS will review reports to ensure that
the applicants are in compliance with
meeting the requirements contained in
the implementing regulations and LOA,
PO 00000
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Biological impacts observed to
marine mammals
None.
including monitoring, mitigation, and
reporting requirements.
E:\FR\FM\01MRN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Notices
13867
Dated: February 26, 2013.
Helen M. Golde,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
Dated: February 26, 2013.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
Dated: February 26, 2013.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–04791 Filed 2–28–13; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2013–04809 Filed 2–28–13; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2013–04775 Filed 2–28–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC530
RIN 0648–XC523
RIN 0648–XC524
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
Notice of a public committee
meeting.
ACTION:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council’s Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a
public meeting.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held
via webinar with a telephone-only
connection option. Details on webinar
registration and the telephone-only
connection details are available at:
https://www.mafmc.org.
Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, 800 North State
Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 674–2331.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, 800 North State
Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 674–2331, extension
255.
SUMMARY:
The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Council) Steller
Sea Lion Mitigation Committee
(SSLMC) will meet in Anchorage, AK.
SUMMARY:
The meeting will be held on
March 21–22, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m., each day.
DATES:
The meeting will be held in
the North Pacific Research Board
conference room, 100 W. 3rd Avenue,
#1007, Anchorage, AK.
Council address: North Pacific
Fishery Management Council, 605 W.
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99501–2252.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve MacLean, NPFMC; telephone:
(907) 271–2809.
The
purpose of the meeting is to review and
discuss the draft Steller Sea Lion
Mitigation Measures Environmental
Impact Statement, and to develop
comments for the Council. Additional
information is posted on the Council
Web site: https://
www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/.
The meeting will be webcast at https://
npfmc.webex.com to allow the public to
watch and hear presentations.
Comments will not be accepted via
Webcast or teleconference.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
Agenda
items to be discussed include: (1)
Review of Tilefish Industry AP
Performance Report, (2) review
information relevant to 2013–2014
Tilefish ABC recommendations, (3) SUN
Subcommittee update on signpost
development for multi-year ABC
specifications, (4) MAFMC research
priorities, and (5) SSC species lead
assignments for 2013.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Special Accommodations
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Gail Bendixen,
(907) 271–2809, at least 5 working days
prior to the meeting date.
The meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to M.
Jan Saunders at the Mid-Atlantic
Council Office, (302) 526–5251, at least
5 days prior to the meeting date.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:40 Feb 28, 2013
Jkt 229001
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice of public meetings.
The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council)
Ecosystem Committee will meet by
teleconference in Anchorage, AK.
SUMMARY:
The teleconference will be held
on March 19, 2013 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
(Alaska Standard Time).
DATES:
Listening sites will be held
at the Council Office, 605 W 4th
Avenue, Room 205, Anchorage, AK.
Council address: North Pacific
Fishery Management Council, 605 W.
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99501–2252.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diana Evans, Council staff; telephone:
(907) 271–2809.
The
agenda will be as follows: (1) Discussion
on the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)
consultation regarding gold dredging in
crab habitat in Nome; (2) Report on
NOAA progress with implementing
Ecosystem Based Management (EBM)
science throughout the regions; and (3)
Begin work on developing a roadmap
for the Council for EBM.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Gail Bendixen at
(907) 271–2809 at least 7 working days
prior to the meeting date.
Dated: February 26, 2013.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–04778 Filed 2–28–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\01MRN1.SGM
01MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 41 (Friday, March 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13865-13867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04791]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC462
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 (LOA).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and
implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has
issued one-year LOAs 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 February 27, 2013
through July 19, 2013.
ADDRESSES: The application and LOAs are available for review by writing
to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and Conservation 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:
[[Page 13866]]
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, 301-427-8401.
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
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 any 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 notice and opportunity for public comment, that the total taking
over the five-year period 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). NMFS received requests for LOAs from Energy Resource
Technology GOM, Inc. (ERT) and Demex International, Inc. (Demex) for
activities covered by EROS regulations.
Reporting
NMFS Galveston Laboratory's Platform Removal Observer Program
(PROP) has provided reports for ERT's removal of offshore structures
during 2012. Demex does not have reports for any operations to date.
NMFS PROP observers and non-NMFS observers reported the following
during ERT's EROS operations in 2012:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marine mammals Biological impacts
Company Structure Dates sighted observed to marine
(individuals) mammals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ERT.............. South Marsh Island May 2 to 7, 2012........... Bottlenose dolphins None.
Area, Block 15, (99).
Platform A.
ERT.............. East Cameron Area, May 8 to 14, 2012.......... Spotted dolphins None.
Block 185, Platform (28); Unidentified
C. dolphins (6).
ERT.............. East Cameron Area, May 15 to 21, 2012......... Bottlenose dolphins None.
Block 184, Platform (25); Spotted
A. dolphins (13).
ERT.............. Vermilion Area, May 20 to 23, 2012......... Spotted dolphins None.
Block 162, Platform (23).
C.
ERT.............. Vermilion Area, May 23 to June 2, 2012..... None................ None.
Block 250, Platform
I.
ERT.............. Vermilion Area, June 3 to 8, 2012.......... Spotted dolphins None.
Block 182, Platform (22).
JA.
ERT.............. South Timbalier June 3 to 4, 2012; June 17 Bottlenose dolphins None.
Area, Block 63, to 19, 2012. (51).
Caisson 18.
ERT.............. South Timbalier June 5 to 8, 2012.......... Bottlenose dolphins None.
Area, Block 63, (19).
Caisson 23.
ERT.............. Vermilion Area, June 8 to 15, 2012......... Spotted dolphins None.
Block 182, Platform (22).
JB.
ERT.............. South Timbalier June 9 to 14, 2012......... Bottlenose dolphins None.
Area, Block 63, (22); Unidentified
Caisson I. dolphins (50).
ERT.............. South Timbalier June 14 to 16, 2012........ None................ None.
Area, Block 63,
Caisson J.
ERT.............. Ship Shoal Area, August 15 to 20, 2012...... Bottlenose dolphins None.
Block 223, Platform (23).
F.
ERT.............. South Timbalier August 21 to 22, 2012...... None................ None.
Area, Block 63,
Caisson 21.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS has issued LOAs to ERT and
Demex. Issuance of the LOAs is based on a finding made in the preamble
to the final rule that the total taking over the five-year period (with
monitoring, mitigation, and reporting measures) will have 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 will
review reports to ensure that the applicants are in compliance with
meeting the requirements contained in the implementing regulations and
LOA, including monitoring, mitigation, and reporting requirements.
[[Page 13867]]
Dated: February 26, 2013.
Helen M. Golde,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-04791 Filed 2-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
