[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 20, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9500]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 20, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 041294C]
Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Shock Testing the
U.S.S. John Paul Jones
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of a letter of authorization.
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SUMMARY: On April 12, 1994, NMFS issued a Letter of Authorization to
the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy), that allows a take of a small
number of marine mammals incidental to shock testing of the DDG-53,
U.S.S. John Paul Jones, in the offshore waters of the Outer Sea Test
Range (OSTR) of the Naval Air Warfare Center, Pt. Mugu, Ventura County,
CA.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the authorization is available from the Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1335 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or by calling the contact listed
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of
Protected Resources, (301) 713-2055.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the taking of marine
mammals incidental to the detonation of conventional explosives within
the OSTR were published on February 3, 1994 (59 FR 5111). These
regulations are based on section 101(a)(5) of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and NMFS' determination that
the taking of marine mammals incidental to this activity will have a
negligible impact on the species and stocks and will not have an
unmitigable adverse impact on their availability for subsistence uses.
The regulations and the Letter of Authorization include permissible
methods for taking, including measures to mitigate incidental takes to
the lowest level practicable, and require the Navy to both monitor the
effects of their activities on marine mammals and to report on all
takings. It should be noted that these regulations and the Letter of
Authorization do not authorize the Navy's activities, as such
authorization is provided by the National Defense Authorization Act (10
U.S.C. 2366) and is not within the jurisdiction of the Secretary of
Commerce. Rather, the Letter of Authorization and implementing
regulations authorize the unintentional incidental take of marine
mammals in connection with such activities, prescribe methods of
taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact
on the species and its habitat and the availability of the species for
subsistence uses.
Dated: April 14, 1994.
William W. Fox, Jr.,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-9500 Filed 4-19-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
