National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 6, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, NMFS, request information, data, and comments pertinent to a risk assessment as part of a status review of the Southeast Alaska population of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi). On April 11, 2008, we initiated a status review of this herring stock under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In conducting this status review, we now seek information regarding the stock's population structure and trends, current conditions of its habitat, known and anticipated threats to the viability of the population, and efforts being made to protect the species.

In accordance with regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting a marine geophysical program, including deep seismic surveys, on oil and gas lease blocks located on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters in the mid- and eastern-Beaufort Sea and in the Northern Chukchi Sea has been issued to Shell Offshore, Inc. (SOI) and WesternGeco.