[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24439-24440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11376]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031303A]


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.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and 
implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that 8 letters 
of authorization (LOAs) to take bottlenose and spotted dolphins 
incidental to oil and gas structure removal activities were issued.

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: Kimberly Skrupky, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2055, ext. 163.

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 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 August 1, 2002 (67 FR 49869), and remain in effect until 
February 2, 2004. Issuance of these letters of authorization are 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.
    Letters of Authorization were issued to:
    (1). Anadarko E&P Company LP of Houston, TX, 77251, on March 19, 
2003;

[[Page 24440]]

    (2). Stone Energy Corporation of Lafayette, LA, 70505, on March 19, 
2003;
    (3). ExxonMobil Production Company of New Orleans, LA, 70161, on 
March 19, 2003;
    (4). Amerada Hess Corporation, 500 Dallas Street, Houston, Texas, 
77002, on April 9, 2003;
    (5). Hunt Oil Company, P.O. Box 727, Scott, Louisiana, 70583, on 
April 9, 2003;
    (6). Samedan Oil Company, 350 Glenborough, Suite 240, Houston, 
Texas, 77067-3299, on April 17, 2003;
    (7). W&T Offshore Inc., 3900 North Causeway Boulevard, One Lakeway 
Center, Suite 1200, Metairie, Louisiana, 70002, on April 17, 2003; and
    (8). Burlington Resources, 400 N. Sam Houston Parkway E., Suite 
1200, Houston, Texas, 77060-3593, on April 28, 2003.

    Dated: Apr 30, 2003.
Laurie K. Allen,
Acting Office Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-11376 Filed 5-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S