Search Results for keywords:"marine mammals"

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering an authorization request from the City of Ketchikan, Alaska, to permit incidental harassment of marine mammals during the Berth III Mooring Dolphins Project. This project involves construction activities that might disturb marine mammals, and NMFS is looking for public comments on this proposal as well as a potential 1-year renewal. The main goal is to ensure that the construction does not have a significant negative impact on the marine mammals or their habitat. The proposed measures include monitoring, mitigation efforts, and the use of the specified methods to minimize disturbance to the animals.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received a request from the City of Hoonah for authorization to incidentally take marine mammals during the construction of the Hoonah Cargo Dock in Alaska. The activity involves pile driving and removal, which could affect marine mammals. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is seeking public comments on the proposed authorization and a possible one-year renewal. Mitigation measures are proposed to minimize impacts on marine mammals, ensuring the incidental takes are negligible, with monitoring and reporting to be conducted throughout the construction activities.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has issued a permit to Humble Bee Wild Ltd for filming humpback whales in Hawaii. This permit allows the company to film up to 540 humpback whales each year using vessels, drones, and underwater divers. The company is also permitted to film up to 50 common bottlenose dolphins and 50 spinner dolphins interacting with these whales. The footage will be used for a natural history TV series. The permit is valid until April 30, 2026, and the activity is excluded from needing an environmental assessment.

The University of Alaska Southeast has applied for an amendment to its scientific research permit (No. 24378-01) regarding marine mammals, specifically to increase the number of gray whales studied annually from 250 to 1,000 due to higher-than-expected numbers in Sitka Sound. This permit allows researchers to study various aspects of 18 species of Alaska's cetaceans, including gray, humpback, killer, and sperm whales, through methods such as photo-identification and tagging. The aim is to better understand these whales' population dynamics, demographics, and foraging strategies. The public can comment on this application until April 28, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued regulations to govern incidental take of marine mammals by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) for their research activities. These regulations, valid for five years, authorize unintentional separations, injuries, or deaths of marine mammals during these activities in specific regions, like the California and Antarctic ecosystems. The regulations outline permissible methods of capture and require minimized impact on marine mammal populations, along with conditions for monitoring and reporting. The rule aims to allow SWFSC to conduct necessary research while ensuring the protection and survival of marine mammals.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed issuing an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) that would allow the United States Army Corps of Engineers to take small numbers of marine mammals during geotechnical surveys in St. George, Alaska. These surveys aim to support the construction of a small boat harbor and may incidentally affect northern fur seals, harbor seals, and possibly other marine mammals. The IHA includes measures to reduce impacts, such as temporarily stopping work if certain marine mammals are nearby and avoiding work during sensitive times, like when northern fur seals are pupping. Public comments on the proposal are being requested.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) received a request from Mayflower Wind Energy LLC for permission to conduct surveys off the coast of Massachusetts, which may disturb a small number of marine mammals. These surveys are related to assessing underwater features for wind energy development. The NMFS proposes to issue an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) allowing for non-serious disturbance of marine mammals, especially considering measures to minimize impact, and is requesting public comments on this proposal. The surveys are scheduled to start in April 2021 and end by November 2021, with specific conditions proposed to ensure limited impact on marine mammal species, including some that are protected.

The Waikiki Aquarium in Honolulu, Hawaii, is seeking an enhancement permit to care for captive Hawaiian monk seals. This permit would allow them to have up to two non-releasable monk seals for educational and research purposes, including a seal named Ho'ailona that will be moved from a research facility in Santa Cruz, California. The aquarium plans to offer daily care and medical attention to the seals and will use the opportunity to raise public awareness about monk seals. The National Marine Fisheries Service has determined that an environmental assessment is not required for this permit, which would be valid for five years.

NMFS, a part of NOAA, has received a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC, seeking authorization to incidentally take small numbers of marine mammals during their oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over a five-year period. The request pertains to the incidental impact on 12 marine mammal species, including beluga whales, due to activities like tug operations, pile driving, and pipeline work, which might cause harassment at two levels. The public is invited to comment on this proposal until April 14, 2025. NMFS will use public feedback to develop regulations overseeing Hilcorp's activities.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received a request from Vineyard Northeast, LLC for permission to incidentally impact small numbers of marine mammals during the construction of the Vineyard Northeast Offshore Wind Project. This project will take place offshore of Massachusetts and Connecticut and will run for five years starting January 1, 2028. The activities involved, like installing wind turbine foundations and underwater surveys, might disturb marine mammals, although serious harm or death is not expected. The public is invited to comment on the request by January 16, 2025, and all feedback will be considered in developing regulations for the project.