[Federal Register: June 26, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 38010-38011]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26jn03-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 061303A]
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 4 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) Comstock Offshore, LLC, Chase Tower, 600 Travis, Suite 6375,
Houston, TX 77002, on May 08, 2003;
[[Page 38011]]
(2) Spinnaker Exploration Company, LLC., 1200 Smith Street, Suite
800, Houston, TX 77002, on May 22, 2003;
(3) J.M. Huber Corporation, 11451 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston,
TX 77079 on May 22, 2003;
(4) Torch Energy Services, Inc., 1221 Lamar, Suite 1600, Houston,
TX 77010-3039, on June 13, 2003.
Dated: June 20, 2003.
Laurie K. Allen,
Acting Office Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-16218 Filed 6-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S