[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 249 (Thursday, December 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 67997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32775]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 121996A]


Small Takes of Ringed Seals Incidental to On-Ice Seismic Activity

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of issuance of letters of authorization.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as 
amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given 
that letters of authorization to take ringed seals incidental to on-ice 
seismic operations in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska were issued on 
December 19, 1996, to BP Exploration, Western Geophysical, and Northern 
Geophysical of America, all of Anchorage, AK.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These letters of authorization are effective from 
January 1, 1997, through May 31, 1997.

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 Western Alaska Field Office, NMFS, 
701 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99513.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of 
Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2055 or Ron Morris, Western Alaska 
Field Office, NMFS, (907) 271-5006.

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 the 
Secretary of Commerce 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 ringed seals incidental to on-ice seismic activities were 
published on January 13, 1993 (58 FR 4091), and remain in effect until 
December 31, 1997.

Summary of Requests

    NMFS received requests for letters of authorization on the dates 
specified from (1) Northern Geophysical of America, 2361 Cinnabar Loop, 
Anchorage, AK 99507 (September 10, 1996), (2) Western Geophysical Inc. 
351 E. International Airport Road, Anchorage, AK 99518-1299 (September 
18, 1996), and (3) BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., 900 East Benson Blvd. 
P.O. Box 196612, Anchorage, AK 99519-6612 (October 7, 1996). All 
letters request a take by harassment of a small number of ringed seals 
incidental to on-ice seismic work in the Beaufort Sea, AK.
    Issuance of these letters of authorization is based on findings 
that the total takings will have a negligible impact on the ringed seal 
species or stock and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the 
availability of this species for subsistence uses.

    Dated: December 19, 1996.
Patricia Montanio,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-32775 Filed 12-24-96; 8:45 am]
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