Incidental Take Authorizations for Research and Other Activities

This page lists Incidental Take Authorizations for research and other activities. Applications are typically posted to this page when public review is initiated.

National

Table of Contents

 An Interactive Map can be viewed that shows recent and in process authorizations.

Authorizations In Process

The following authorizations are currently in process.

    SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Recovery Activities in California (2018)

    Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
    In Process 12/17/2018 -- --

    Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Space Exploration Technology Corporation (SpaceX) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to boost-back and landing of Falcon 9 rockets at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and at contingency landing locations in the Pacific Ocean. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NOAA Fisheries is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. We are also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NOAA Fisheries will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

    Glacier Bay National Park Seabird and Climate Research

    Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
    In Process Closed -- --

    Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received an application from the National Park Service requesting authorization for the take of harbor seals incidental to seabird and climate monitoring activities in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska over a five year period.

    Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Fishery Independent Monitoring Activities 

    Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
    In Process Closed -- --

    Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received an application from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department requesting authorization for the take of bottlenose dolphins incidental to fishery-independent monitoring activities in Texas over a 5-year period. 

    NOAA Fisheries AFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans 

    Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
    In Process Closed -- --

    Summary: NOAA Fisheries' Office of Protected Resources (OPR) has received a request from NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in multiple specified geographical regions, over the course of five years from the date of issuance. As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NOAA Fisheries is proposing regulations to govern that take.

      NOAA Fisheries SEFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in the Atlantic Ocean 

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      In Process Closed -- --

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to conducting fisheries research, over the course of 5 years from the date of issuance, in multiple geographical regions in the Atlantic Ocean.

      NOAA Fisheries PIFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in the Pacific Ocean 

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      In Process Closed -- --

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to conducting fisheries research, over the course of 5 years from the date of issuance, in multiple geographical regions in the Pacific Ocean.

      Active Authorizations

      The following authorizations are currently active.

      Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Marine Geophysical Survey in the North Pacific Ocean

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active Closed 8/31/2018 9/1/2018- 8/31/2019

      Summary: In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, notification is hereby given that NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (L-DEO) to incidentally take, by Level A and/or Level B harassment, marine mammals during a Marine Geophysical Survey in the North Pacific Ocean.

      United States Geological Survey Geophysical Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active Closed 8/6/2018 8/06/2018 - 08/05/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to United States Geological Survey (USGS) for authorization to harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. 

      NOAA Fisheries NWFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in the Pacific Ocean

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active Closed 7/27/2018 8/27/2018- 8/28/2023

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries, upon request of NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in the Pacific Ocean over the course of five years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

      Point Blue Conservation Science Seabird and Pinniped Research in Central California (2018)

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active IHA Closed 7/3/2018 7/7/2018-7/6/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during seabird research activities in central California.

      Scripps Institution of Oceanography Low-energy Marine Geophysical Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active IHA Closed 6/11/2018 6/11/2018-6/10/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to a low-energy marine geophysical survey in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. 

      USFWS Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex Monitoring and Research

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active IHA Closed 4/13/2018 4/1/2018- 3/31/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during survey activities associated with the seabird and shorebird monitoring project at the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex. 

      St. George Reef Light Station Restoration Activities in the Northeast Pacific Ocean (2018)

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active IHA Closed 4/13/2018 2/19/2018- 2/18/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society (Society) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during aircraft operations, lighthouse renovations, and tour operations associated with preservation of the St. George Reef Lighthouse Station on Northwest Seal Rock (NWSR) in the northeast Pacific Ocean in 2018-2019. 

      University of California Santa Cruz Rocky Intertidal Monitoring off California and Oregon (2018)

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active IHA closed 3/16/2018 3/12/2018-3/11/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) the the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal Oceans, at the University of California Santa Cruz, to take marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, incidental to rocky intertidal monitoring surveys off the California and Oregon coasts.

      Glacier Bay National Park Seabird Research and Climate Monitoring, Alaska 

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active IHA closed 02/15/2018 3/1/2018- 2/28/2019

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to the National Park Service for authorization to take one species of marine mammal incidental to glaucous-winged gull and climate monitoring research activities in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. 

      Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Fireworks Displays in California 

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active LOA closed 6/15/2017 7/04/2017-7/03/2022

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries, upon request from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, has issued an LOA and regulations to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to commercial fireworks displays permitted within the Sanctuary in California waters, over the course of five years (2017-2022).

      Alaska Aerospace Corporation Space Vehicle and Missile Launch Operations at Kodiak Island, Alaska 

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active LOA closed 3/24/2017 4/24/2017-4/25/2022

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries, upon request from the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, has issued an LOA and regulations under the MMPA to govern the unintentional take of marine mammals incidental to space vehicle and missile launch operations on Kodiak Island, Alaska, over the course of five years (2017-2022). 

      NOAA Fisheries NEFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in the Atlantic Ocean 

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active LOA closed 9/13/2016 9/12/2016-9/09/2021

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries, upon request from the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), has issued an LOA and regulations under the MMPA to govern the unintentional take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted by over the course of 5 years from the date of issuance, in the Atlantic Ocean.

      NOAA Fisheries SWFSC Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Activities in the Pacific Ocean

      Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
      Active LOA closed 10/30/2015 10/30/2015-10/30/2020

      Summary: NOAA Fisheries, upon request from the NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), has issued an LOA and regulations under the MMPA to govern the unintentional take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research over the course of five years, in the California Current Research Area (off the U.S. west coast), the Eastern Tropical Pacific Research Area, and the Antarctic Research Area (in the Antarctic Scotia Sea).

      Withdrawn and Inactive

      For documents related to withdrawn applications for Authorization and inactive Authorizations, please contact us.

      Applicant Activity Authorization Type Effective Dates
      U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Gulf Sturgeon Research in the Gulf of Mexico IHA --

      Expired Authorizations

      For documents related to expired authorizations, please contact us.

      Applicant Activity Authorization Type Effective Dates
      SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Recovery Activities in California  IHA 12/01/2017-11/30/2018
      Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Marine Geophysical Surveys in the Southwest Pacific Ocean IHA 10/27/2017- 10/26/2018
      Scripps Institution of Oceanography Low-Energy Geophysical Survey in the Northeast Pacific Ocean  IHA 9/22/2017-9/19/2018
      University of Hawaii Marine Geophysical Survey in the Central Pacific Ocean IHA 9/14/2017-9/13/2018
      Point Blue Conservation Science Seabird and Pinniped Research in Central California IHA 7/7/2017- 7/6/2018
      U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex Seabird and Shorebird Monitoring and Research IHA 4/01/2017-3/31/2018
      University of California Santa Cruz Rocky Intertidal Monitoring off California and Oregon IHA 2/21/2017- 2/20/2018
      St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society Light Station Restoration Activities in California IHA 2/19/2017- 2/18/2018
      Quintillion Subsea Operations, LLC Subsea Cable Laying Operations in U.S. Arctic IHA 7/01/2017-11/15/2017
      Glacier Bay National Park Seabird Research in Alaska IHA 5/1/2017-9/30/2017
      Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Seismic Survey in Southeast Pacific Ocean IHA 8/01/2016-7/31/2017
      SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Recovery in California  IHA 6/30/2016-6/29/2017
      Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Fireworks Displays in California LOA 06/28/2012-
      06/28/2017
      City of San Diego Sand Quality Study in La Jolla, California IHA 6/1/2016-5/30/2017
      Point Blue Conservation Science Seabird Research in Central California IHA 5/16/2016-5/15/2017
      UC Santa Cruz Partnership for Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal Oceans Rocky Intertidal Monitoring off California and Oregon IHA 2/03/2016 - 2/02/2017
      St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society St. George Reef Light Station Restoration Activities IHA 2/19/2016 - 2/18/2017
      Fairweather, LLC Anchor Retrieval in Chukchi and Beaufort Seas IHA 7/01/2016-10/31/2016
      Quintillion Subsea Operations, Inc Subsea Cable Laying in U.S. Arctic IHA 6/01/2016-10/31/2016
      Glacier Bay National Park Seabird Research in Alaska IHA 5/16/2016-9/30/2016
      Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Seismic Survey in the South Atlantic Ocean IHA 1/4/2016 - 3/31/2016
      Alaska Aerospace Corporation Space Vehicle and Missile Launch Operations in Alaska LOA 03/22/2011-
      03/22/2016
      Point Blue Conservation Science Seabird Research in Central California IHA 1/31/2015- 1/30/2016

      Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

      		 Seismic Survey in the Mediterranean Sea IHA 11/19/2015- 12/31/2015

      Glacier Bay National Park

      		 Seabird Research in Alaska IHA 05/15/2015- 09/31/2015
      Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

      Seismic Survey in the NW Atlantic Ocean Offshore New Jersey

      		 IHA 06/01/2015- 08/31/2015

      USGS 

      		 Seismic Survey in Atlantic Ocean off Eastern Seaboard IHA 08/21/2014-
      08/20/2015

      BLM

      		 Land Survey Activities in the Eastern Aleutian Islands, AK IHA 06/09/2015- 07/31/2015
      Scripps Institution of Oceanography

      Seismic Survey in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, East of New Zealand

      		 IHA 05/18/2015- 07/30/2015

      More Information

      Last updated by Office of Protected Resources on 12/03/2018

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