Incidental Take Authorization: Military Readiness Activities in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area (2025-2032)
Summary
NOAA Fisheries, upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy and on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard, issued regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities conducted in the AFTT Study Area over the course of 7 years from November 2025 through November 2032. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of letters of authorization for the incidental take of marine mammals during specified activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. The activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019.
