§ 227.12 - Steller sea lion.

(a) General prohibitions. The prohibitions of section 9 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1538) and the following regulatory provisions shall apply to the eastern population of Steller sea lions:

(1) No discharge of firearms. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States may discharge a firearm at or within 100 yards (91.4 meters) of a Steller sea lion. A firearm is any weapon, such as a pistol or rifle, capable of firing a missile using an explosive charge as a propellant.

(2) No approach in buffer areas. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section:

(i) No owner or operator of a vessel may allow the vessel to approach within 3 nautical miles (5.5 kilometers) of a Steller sea lion rookery site listed in paragraph (a)(3) of this section;

(ii) No person may approach on land not privately owned within one-half statutory miles (0.8 kilometers) or within sight of a Steller sea lion rookery site listed in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, whichever is greater, except on Marmot Island; and

(iii) No person may approach on land not privately owned within one and one-half statutory miles (2.4 kilometers) or within sight of the eastern shore of Marmot Island, including the Steller sea lion rookery site listed in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, whichever is greater.

(3) Listed sea lion rookery sites. Listed Steller sea lion rookery sites consist of the rookeries in the Aleutian Islands and the Gulf of Alaska listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Listed Steller Sea Lion Rookery Sites \1\IslandFromLat.Long.ToLat.Long.NOAA chartNotes1. Outer I. 59°20.5 N 150°23.0 W 59°21.0 N 150°24.5 W 16681 S quadrant.2. Sugarloaf I.58°53.0 N 152°02.0 W 16580 Whole island.3. Marmot I. 58°14.5 N 151°47.5 W 58°10.0 N 151°51.0 W 16580 SE quadrant.4. Chirikof I. 55°46.5 N 155°39.5 W 55°46.5 N 155°43.0 W 16580 S quadrant.5. Chowiet I. 56°00.5 N 156°41.5 W 56°00.5 N 156°42.0 W 16013 S quadrant.6. Atkins I.55°03.5 N 159°18.5 W 16540 Whole island.7. Chernabura I. 54°47.5 N 159°31.0 W 54°45.5 N 159°33.5 W 16540 SE corner.8. Pinnacle Rock 54°46.0 N 161°46.0 W 16540 Whole island.9. Clubbing Rks (N) 54°43.0 N 162°26.5 W 16540 Whole island.Clubbing Rks (S) 54°42.0 N 162°26.5 W 16540 Whole Island.10. Sea Lion Rks 55°28.0 N 163°12.0 W 16520 Whole island.11. Ugamak I. 54°14.0 N 164°48.0 W 54°13.0 N 164°48.0 W 16520 E end of island.12. Akun I.54°18.0N 165°32.5W 54°18.0N 165°31.5W 16547 Billings Head Bight.13. Akutan I. 54°03.5 N 166°00.0 W 54°05.5 N 166°05.0 W 16520 SW corner, Cape Morgan.14. Bogoslof I. 53°56.0 N 168°02.0 W 16500 Whole island.15. Ogchul I. 53°00.0 N 168°24.0 W 16500 Whole island.16. Adugak I. 52°55.0 N 169°10.5 W 16500 Whole island.17. Yunaska I. 52°42.0 N 170°38.5 W 52°41.0 N 170°34.5 W 16500 NE end.18. Seguam I. 52°21.0 N 172°35.0 W 52°21.0 N 172°33.0 W 16480 N coast, Saddleridge Pt.19. Agligadak I. 52°06.5 N 172°54.0 W 16480 Whole island.20. Kasatochi I.52°10.0N 175°31.5W 52°10.5N 175°29.0W 16480 N half of island.21. Adak I.51°36.5N 176°59.0W 51°38.0N 176°59.5W 16460 SW Point, Lake Point.22. Gramp rock 51°29.0 N 178°20.5 W 16460 Whole island.23. Tag I. 51°33.5 N 178°34.5 W 16460 Whole island.24. Ulak I. 51°20.0 N 178°57.0 W 51°18.5 N 178°59.5 W 16460 SE corner, Hasgox Pt.25. Semisopochnoi 51°58.5 N 179°45.5 E 51°57.0 N 179°46.0 E 16440 E quadrant, Pochnoi Pt.Semisopochnoi 52°01.5 N 179°37.5 E 52°01.5 N 179°39.0 E 16440 N quadrant, Petrel Pt.26. Amchitka I.51°22.5N 179°28.0E 51°21.5N 179°25.0E 16440 East Cape.27. Amchitka I.51°32.5N 178°49.5E 16440 Column Rocks.28. Ayugadak Pt. 51°45.5 N 178°24.5 E 16440 SE coast of Rat Island.29. Kiska I. 51°57.5 N 177°21.0 E 51°56.5 N 177°20.0 E 16440 W central, Lief Cove.30. Kiska I. 51°52.5 N 177°13.0 E 51°53.5 N 177°12.0 E 16440 Cape St. Stephen.31. Walrus I. 57°11.0 N 169°56.0 W 16380 Whole island.32. Buldir I. 52°20.5 N 175°57.0 E 52°23.5 N 175°51.0 E 16420 Se point to NW point.33. Agattu I. 52°24.0 N 173°21.5 E 16420 Gillion Point.34. Agattu I. 52°23.5 N 173°43.5 E 52°22.0 N 173°41.0 E 16420 Cape Sabak.35. Attu I.52°54.5N 172°28.5E 52°57.5N 172°31.5E 16681 S Quadrant.1 Each site extends in a clockwise direction from the first set of geographic coordinates along the shoreline at mean lower low water to the second set of coordinates; or, if only one set of geographic coordinates is listed, the site extends around the entire shoreline of the island at mean lower low water. EC01JY91.016 EC01JY91.017 EC01JY91.018 EC01JY91.019 EC01JY91.020 EC01JY91.021 EC01JY91.022 EC01JY91.023 EC01JY91.024 EC01JY91.025 EC01JY91.026 EC01JY91.027 EC01JY91.028 EC01JY91.029 EC01JY91.030 EC01JY91.031 EC01JY91.032 EC01JY91.033 EC01JY91.034 EC01JY91.035 EC01JY91.036 EC01JY91.037 EC01JY91.038 EC01JY91.039 EC01JY91.040 EC01JY91.041 EC01JY91.042 EC01JY91.043 EC01JY91.044

(4) Commercial Fishing Operations. The incidental mortality and serious injury of endangered and threatened Steller sea lions in commercial fisheries can be authorized in compliance with sections 101(a)(5) and 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

(b) Exceptions—(1) Permits. The Assistant Administrator may issue permits authorizing activities that would otherwise be prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section in accordance with and subject to the provisions of 50 CFR part 222, subpart C—Endangered Fish or Wildlife Permits.

(2) Official activities. The taking of Steller sea lions must be reported within 30 days to the Regional Administrator, Alaska Region. Paragraph (a) of this section does not prohibit or restrict a Federal, state or local government official, or his or her designee, who is acting in the course of official duties from:

(i) Taking a Steller sea lion in a humane manner, if the taking is for the protection or welfare of the animal, the protection of the public health and welfare, or the nonlethal removal of nuisance animals; or

(ii) Entering the buffer areas to perform activities that are necessary for national defense, or the performance of other legitimate governmental activities.

(3) Subsistence takings by Alaska natives. Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to the taking of Steller sea lions for subsistence purposes under section 10(e) of the Act.

(4) Emergency situations. Paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not apply to an emergency situation in which compliance with that provision presents a threat to the health, safety, or life of a person or presents a significant threat to the vessel or property.

(5) Exemptions. Paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not apply to any activity authorized by a prior written exemption from the Director, Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries Service. Concurrently with the issuance of any exemption, the Assistant Administrator will publish notice of the exemption in the Federal Register. An exemption may be granted only if the activity will not have a significant adverse affect on Steller sea lions, the activity has been conducted historically or traditionally in the buffer zones, and there is no readily available and acceptable alternative to or site for the activity.

(6) Navigational transit. Paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not prohibit a vessel in transit from passing through a strait, narrows, or passageway listed in this paragraph if the vessel proceeds in continuous transit and maintains a minimum of 1 nautical mile from the rookery site. The listing of a strait, narrows, or passageway does not indicate that the area is safe for navigation. The listed straits, narrows, or passageways include the following:

RookeryStraits, narrows, or passAkutan Island Akutan Pass between Cape Morgan and Unalga Island.Clubbing Rocks Between Clubbing Rocks and Cherni Island.Outer Island Wildcat Pass between Rabbit and Ragged Islands.

(c) Penalties. (1) Any person who violates this section or the Act is subject to the penalties specified in section 11 of the Act, and any other penalties provided by law.

(2) Any vessel used in violation of this section or the Endangered Species Act is subject to forfeiture under section 11(e)(4)(B) of the Act.