The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to bp Exploration and Production, Inc., permitting them to incidentally take marine mammals during a geophysical survey in the Gulf of Mexico. The survey involves using a marine vibrator source, which is less harmful to marine mammals compared to traditional airgun sources. NMFS determined the survey will have a negligible impact on marine mammal populations, and the level of animal disturbance will be within permissible limits. The LOA is valid from January 14, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
Simple Explanation
In the Gulf of Mexico, a special permission letter was given to a company called bp to do some underwater sounds to look for oil, and this is allowed because it won't hurt the sea animals much. The letter says they can do this from January to December 2025, using a quieter method that's better for the animals.