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FR Notice – Taking of Threatened or Endangered Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Issuance of Permits (May 6, 2021)

Federal Register Notices, Protected Species

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is issuing permits for a period of three years to authorize the incidental, but not intentional, take of specific Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed marine mammal species or stocks under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), in certain U.S. commercial fisheries.

DATES:

These permits are effective for a three-year period beginning May 6, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Reference materials for these permits, including the final negligible impact determinations, are available on the internet at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/negligible-impact-determinations-and-mmpa-section-101a5e-authorization-commercial-fisheries or http://www.regulations.gov, identified by Docket Number NOAA-NMFS-2020-0096. Other supporting information is available on the internet including: recovery plans for the ESA-listed marine mammal species, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​national/​endangered-species-conservation/​recovery-species-under-endangered-species-act;​ MMPA List of Fisheries, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​national/​marine-mammal-protection/​list-fisheries-summary-tables;​ the most recent Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports (SARs) by region, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​national/​marine-mammal-protection/​marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports-region, and stock, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​national/​marine-mammal-protection/​marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports-species-stock;​ and Take Reduction Teams and Plans, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​national/​marine-mammal-protection/​marine-mammal-take-reduction-plans-and-teams.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Suzie Teerlink, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7240, Suzie.Teerlink@noaa.gov; Diana Kramer, NMFS Pacific Islands Region, (808) 725-5167, Diana.Kramer@noaa.gov; Kara Shervanick, NMFS Southeast Region, (727) 824-5350, Kara.Shervanick@noaa.gov; or Caroline Good, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, (301) 427-8402, Caroline.Good@noaa.gov.

Click here for complete FR notice.