[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 178 (Thursday, September 12, 1996)] [Notices] [Page 48131] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-23403] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 090396A] Incidental Take of Marine Mammals; Bottlenose Dolphins and Spotted Dolphins AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of issuance of letters of authorization. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that two letters of authorization to take bottlenose and spotted dolphins incidental to oil and gas structure removal activities were issued on August 23 and 30, 1996, respectively, to the Amerada Hess Corporation and The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company, both of Houston, TX. EFFECTIVE DATE: These letters of authorization are effective for 1 year from the date of issuance. 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 the Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2055 or Charles Oravetz, Southeast Region (813) 570-5312. 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 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. 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 bottlenose and spotted dolphins incidental to oil and gas structure removal activities in the Gulf of Mexico were published on October 12, 1995 (60 FR 53139), and remain in effect until November 13, 2000. Summary of Request NMFS received requests for letters of authorization on August 21, 1996, from the Amerada Hess Corporation, and August 28, 1996, from The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company. These letters requested a take by harassment of a small number of bottlenose and spotted dolphins incidental to the described activity. Issuance of these letters of authorization is based on a finding that the total takings will have a negligible impact on the bottlenose and spotted dolphin stocks of the Gulf of Mexico. Dated: September 6, 1996. Rennie S. Holt, Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 96-23403 Filed 9-11-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F