Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment of the Bearded Seal

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 Parts 223 and 226 [Docket No. 220318-0073] RIN 0648-BJ65 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), issue this final rule to designate critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment (DPS) of the Pacific bearded seal subspecies Erignathus barbatus nauticus under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The critical habitat designation comprises an area of marine habitat in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. DATES: This rule is effective May 2, 2022. ADDRESSES: The final rule, critical habitat map, and associated Final Impact Analysis Report ( i.e., report titled “Final RIR/ESA Section 4(b)(2) Preparatory Assessment/FRFA of Critical Habitat Designation for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Bearded Seal”) can be found on the NMFS website at www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​species/​bearded-seal#conservation-management . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Olson, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 271-5006; Jon Kurland, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7638; or Heather Austin, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, (301) 427-8422. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On December 28, 2012, we published a final rule to list the Beringia DPS of the Pacific bearded seal subspecies as threatened under the ESA ( 77 FR 76740…