§ 216.242 - Permissible methods of taking.

(a) Under Letters of Authorization issued pursuant to §§216.106 and 216.247, the Holder of the Letter of Authorization may incidentally, but not intentionally, take marine mammals within the area described in §216.240(b), provided the activity is in compliance with all terms, conditions, and requirements of these regulations and the appropriate Letter of Authorization.

(b) The activities identified in §216.240(c) must be conducted in a manner that minimizes, to the greatest extent practicable, any adverse impacts on marine mammals and their habitat.

(c) The incidental take of marine mammals under the activities identified in §216.240(c) is limited to the following species, by the identified method of take and the indicated number of times:

(1) Level B Harassment (±10 percent of the number of takes indicated below):

(i) Mysticetes:

(A) North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)—3330 (an average of 666 annually).

(B) Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)—21010 (an average of 4202 annually).

(C) Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)—2075 (an average of 415 annually).

(D) Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis)—5285 (an average of 1057 annually).

(E) Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)—4410 (an average of 882 annually).

(F) Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni)—180 (an average of 36 annually).

(G) Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)—4005 (an average of 801 annually).

(ii) Odontocetes:

(A) Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)—48790 (an average of 9758 annually).

(B) Pygmy or dwarf sperm whales (Kogia breviceps or Kogia sima)—21920 (an average of 4384 annually).

(C) Beaked Whales (Cuvier's, True's, Gervais', Sowerby's, Blainville's, Northern bottlenose whale) (Ziphius cavirostris, Mesoplodon mirus, M. europaeus, M. bidens, M. densirostris, Hyperoodon ampullatus)—24535 (an average of 4907 annually).

(D) Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis)—13540 (an average of 2708 annually).

(E) Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)—3034010 (an average of 606802 annually).

(F) Pan-tropical dolphin (Stenella attenuata)—696530 (an average of 139306 annually).

(G) Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis)—1881805 (an average of 376361 annually).

(H) Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris)—105775 (an average of 21155 annually).

(I) Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene)—232190 (an average of 46438 annually).

(J) Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)—873620 (an average of 174274 annually).

(K) Common dolphin (Delphinus spp.)—482300 (an average of 96460 annually).

(L) Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei)—1730 (an average of 346 annually).

(M) Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus)—470375 (an average of 94075 annually).

(N) Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)—103255 (an average of 20651 annually).

(O) White-beaked dophin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris)—17250 (an average of 3450 annually).

(P) Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra)—8270 (an average of 1654 annually).

(Q) Pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata)—1400 (an average of 280 annually).

(R) False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens)—2690 (an average of 538 annually).

(S) Killer whale (Orcinus orca)—2515 (an average of 503 annually).

(T) Pilot whales (Short-finned pilot or long-finned) (Globicephala macrorynchus or G. melas)—636965 (an average of 127393 annually).

(U) Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)—767405 (an average of 153481 annually).

(iii) Pinnipeds:

(A) Gray seal (Halichoerus grypus)—39295 (an average of 7859 annually).

(B) Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina)—63295 (an average of 12659 annually).

(C) Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata)—78590 (an average of 15718 annually).

(D) Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandica)—55010 (an average of 11002 annually).

(2) Level A Harassment and/or mortality of no more than 10 beaked whales (total), of any of the species listed in §216.242(c)(1)(ii)(C) over the course of the 5-year regulations.