Your
letter must be postmarked by May 31 FEDERAL REGISTER
Vol. 66, No. 53 Taking
and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Navy
Operations
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comment. SUMMARY:
NMFS has received an application from the U.S. Navy requesting a Letter
of Authorization (LOA) for the take of small numbers of marine mammals
by harassment incidental to Navy operations of the Surveillance Towed
Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar. By this
document, NMFS is proposing regulations to govern that take. In order
to issue the LOA and issue final regulations governing the take, NMFS
must determine that the taking will have a negligible impact on the affected
species and stocks of marine mammals, will (if appropriate through implementation
of appropriate mitigation measures) be at the lowest level practicable,
and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of
the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses. NMFS invites comment on
the application, and the regulations. Comments
regarding the burden-hour estimate or any other aspect of the collection
of information requirement contained in this rule should be sent to the
Chief, and to the Office of Information
Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to allow, upon 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. Permission
may be granted for periods of 5 years or less if the Secretary finds that
the taking will be small, have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s)
of affected marine mammals, and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact
on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses, and
if regulations are prescribed setting forth the permissible methods of
taking and the requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting
of such taking. Act Now Send Your Fax The National Marine Fisheries Service is accepting public comments through May 18, 2001, on whether to grant the Navy's LFA permit request. Use the form below to fax a message to the chief of the Fisheries Service's Marine Mammal Conservation Division, telling her to deny the Navy's request to deploy LFA sonar.
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