[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 226 (Monday, November 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82832-82834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26079]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD534]


Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 
Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in 
the Gulf of Mexico

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

ACTION: Notice of issuance of letter of authorization.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as 
amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for 
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil 
and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico, notification is hereby given 
that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to Echo Offshore 
LLC (Echo) for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical 
survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

DATES: The LOA is effective from December 1, 2023 through December 31, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: The LOA, LOA request, and supporting documentation are 
available online at: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-oil-and-gas-industry-geophysical-survey-activity-gulf-mexico. In case of problems accessing these documents, please call the 
contact listed below (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenna Harlacher, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) 
direct the Secretary of Commerce to allow, upon 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 either regulations are issued or, if the taking 
is limited to harassment, a notice of a proposed authorization is 
provided to the public for review.
    An authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS 
finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or 
stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the 
availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where 
relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements 
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such takings 
are set forth. NMFS has defined ``negligible impact'' in 50 CFR 216.103 
as an impact resulting from the specified activity that cannot be 
reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely 
affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of 
recruitment or survival.
    Except with respect to certain activities not pertinent here, the 
MMPA defines ``harassment'' as: any act of pursuit, torment, or 
annoyance which (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or 
marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has the 
potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild 
by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not 
limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or 
sheltering (Level B harassment).
    On January 19, 2021, we issued a final rule with regulations to 
govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to 
geophysical survey activities conducted by oil and gas industry 
operators, and those persons authorized to conduct activities on their 
behalf (collectively ``industry operators''), in U.S. waters of the GOM 
over the course of 5 years (86 FR 5322, January 19, 2021). The rule was 
based on our findings that the total taking from the specified 
activities over the 5-year period will have a negligible impact on the 
affected species or stock(s) of marine mammals and will not have an 
unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of those species or 
stocks for subsistence uses. The rule became effective on April 19, 
2021.
    Our regulations at 50 CFR 217.180 et seq. allow for the issuance of 
LOAs to industry operators for the incidental take of marine mammals 
during geophysical survey activities and prescribe the permissible 
methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable 
adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat 
(often referred to as mitigation), as well as requirements pertaining 
to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. Under 50 CFR 
217.186(e), issuance of an LOA shall be based on a determination that 
the level of taking will be consistent with the findings made for the 
total taking allowable under these regulations and a determination that 
the amount of take

[[Page 82833]]

authorized under the LOA is of no more than small numbers.

Summary of Request and Analysis

    Echo plans to conduct a 2D high-resolution seismic survey in Lease 
Block 178 (Vermillion Area). Echo plans to use a single, 20-cubic inch 
airgun, in addition to three other high-resolution geophysical (HRG) 
acoustic sources. Please see Echo's application for additional detail.
    Consistent with the preamble to the final rule, the survey effort 
proposed by Echo in its LOA request was used to develop LOA-specific 
take estimates based on the acoustic exposure modeling results 
described in the preamble (86 FR 5322, 5398, January 19, 2021). In 
order to generate the appropriate take numbers for authorization, the 
following information was considered: (1) survey type; (2) location (by 
modeling zone \1\); (3) number of days; and (4) season.\2\ The acoustic 
exposure modeling performed in support of the rule provides 24-hour 
exposure estimates for each species, specific to each modeled survey 
type in each zone and season.
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    \1\ For purposes of acoustic exposure modeling, the GOM was 
divided into seven zones. Zone 1 is not included in the geographic 
scope of the rule.
    \2\ For purposes of acoustic exposure modeling, seasons include 
Winter (December-March) and Summer (April-November).
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    Exposure modeling results were generated using the single airgun 
proxy. Because those results assume use of a 90-in\3\ airgun, the take 
numbers authorized through this LOA are considered conservative (i.e., 
they likely overestimate take) due to differences in the sound source 
planned for use by Echo, as compared to those modeled for the rule. The 
survey is planned to occur for up to 2 days in Zone 2. The season is 
not known in advance. Therefore, the take estimates for each species 
are based on the season that has the greater value for the species 
(i.e., winter or summer).
    Based on the results of our analysis, NMFS has determined that the 
level of taking expected for this survey and authorized through the LOA 
is consistent with the findings made for the total taking allowable 
under the regulations. See Table 1 in this notice and Table 9 of the 
rule (86 FR 5322, January 19, 2021).

Small Numbers Determination

    Under the GOM rule, NMFS may not authorize incidental take of 
marine mammals in an LOA if it will exceed ``small numbers.'' In short, 
when an acceptable estimate of the individual marine mammals taken is 
available, if the estimated number of individual animals taken is up 
to, but not greater than, one-third of the best available abundance 
estimate, NMFS will determine that the numbers of marine mammals taken 
of a species or stock are small. For more information please see NMFS' 
discussion of the MMPA's small numbers requirement provided in the 
final rule (86 FR 5322, 5438, January 19, 2021).
    The take numbers for authorization, which are determined as 
described above, are used by NMFS in making the necessary small numbers 
determinations, through comparison with the best available abundance 
estimates (see discussion at 86 FR 5322, 5391, January 19, 2021). For 
this comparison, NMFS' approach is to use the maximum theoretical 
population, determined through review of current stock assessment 
reports (SAR; https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessments) and model-predicted 
abundance information (https://seamap.env.duke.edu/models/Duke/GOM/). 
For the latter, for taxa where a density surface model could be 
produced, we use the maximum mean seasonal (i.e., 3-month) abundance 
prediction for purposes of comparison as a precautionary smoothing of 
month-to-month fluctuations and in consideration of a corresponding 
lack of data in the literature regarding seasonal distribution of 
marine mammals in the GOM. Information supporting the small numbers 
determinations is provided in Table 1.

                                             Table 1--Take Analysis
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                                                        Authorized take
                       Species                                \1\            Abundance \2\     Percent abundance
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Rice's whale \3\....................................                   0                  51                 n/a
Sperm whale.........................................                   0               2,207                 n/a
Kogia spp...........................................                   0               4,373                 n/a
Beaked whales.......................................                   0               3,768                 n/a
Rough-toothed dolphin...............................               \4\ 0               4,853                 n/a
Bottlenose dolphin..................................                  62             176,108                 0.0
Clymene dolphin.....................................                   0              11,895                 n/a
Atlantic spotted dolphin............................              \5\ 26              74,785                 0.0
Pantropical spotted dolphin.........................                   0             102,361                 n/a
Spinner dolphin.....................................                   0              25,114                 n/a
Striped dolphin.....................................                   0               5,229                 n/a
Fraser's dolphin....................................                   0               1,665                 n/a
Risso's dolphin.....................................                   0               3,764                 n/a
Melon-headed whale..................................                   0               7,003                 n/a
Pygmy killer whale..................................                   0               2,126                 n/a
False killer whale..................................                   0               3,204                 n/a
Killer whale........................................                   0                 267                 n/a
Short-finned pilot whale............................                   0               1,981                 n/a
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\1\ Scalar ratios were not applied in this case due to brief survey duration.
\2\ Best abundance estimate. For most taxa, the best abundance estimate for purposes of comparison with take
  estimates is considered here to be the model-predicted abundance (Roberts et al., 2016). For those taxa where
  a density surface model predicting abundance by month was produced, the maximum mean seasonal abundance was
  used. For those taxa where abundance is not predicted by month, only mean annual abundance is available. For
  Rice's whale and the killer whale, the larger estimated SAR abundance estimate is used.
\3\ The final rule refers to the GOM Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni). These whales were subsequently
  described as a new species, Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei) (Rosel et al., 2021).

[[Page 82834]]

 
\4\ Modeled take of one decreased to zero. For rough-toothed dolphin, use of the exposure modeling produces
  results that are smaller than the average GOM group size (i.e., estimated exposure value of 1, relative to
  assumed average group size of 14) (Maze-Foley and Mullin, 2006). NMFS' typical practice is to increase
  exposure estimates to the assumed average group size for a species in order to ensure that, if the species is
  encountered, exposures will not exceed the authorized take number. However, given the very short survey
  duration and small estimated exposure value NMFS has determined that it is unlikely the species would be
  encountered at all. As a result, in this case NMFS has not authorized take for this species.
\5\ Modeled take of 13 increased to account for potential encounter with a group of average size (Maze-Foley and
  Mullin, 2006).

    Based on the analysis contained herein of Echo's proposed survey 
activity described in its LOA application and the anticipated take of 
marine mammals, NMFS finds that small numbers of marine mammals will be 
taken relative to the affected species or stock sizes (i.e., less than 
one-third of the best available abundance estimate) and therefore the 
taking is of no more than small numbers.

Authorization

    NMFS has determined that the level of taking for this LOA request 
is consistent with the findings made for the total taking allowable 
under the incidental take regulations and that the amount of take 
authorized under the LOA is of no more than small numbers. Accordingly, 
we have issued an LOA to Echo authorizing the take of marine mammals 
incidental to its geophysical survey activity, as described above.

    Dated: November 21, 2023.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-26079 Filed 11-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P