Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Upon application from the U.S. Navy (Navy), we (the National Marine Fisheries Service) are issuing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar on a maximum of four naval surveillance vessels in areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea, from the period of August 15, 2012, through August 15, 2017. These regulations: allow us to issue Letters of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the Navy's specified activities and timeframes; set forth the permissible methods of taking; set forth other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat; and set forth requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of the incidental take.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 218 [Docket No. 110808485-2148-02] RIN 0648-BB14 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: Upon application from the U.S. Navy (Navy), we (the National Marine Fisheries Service) are issuing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar on a maximum of four naval surveillance vessels in areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea, from the period of August 15, 2012, through August 15, 2017. These regulations: allow us to issue Letters of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the Navy's specified activities and timeframes; set forth the permissible methods of taking; set forth other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat; and set forth requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of the incidental take. DATES: Effective August 15, 2012, through August 15, 2017. ADDRESSES: To obtain an electronic copy of: the Navy's application (which contains a list of the references within this document); our Record of Decision; and other documents that we have cited in this document, write to P. Michael Payne, Chief,…
Citation: 77 FR 50290
