Biological Opinion on the Issuance of Incidental Harassment Authorization under 10l(a)(5)(D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act to SAExploration, Inc. (SAE) for Marine 3D Ocean Bottom Node Seismic Activities
August 08, 2014
NOAA Fisheries biological opinion on the effects of open-water seismic surveys on endangered and threatened species and designated critical habitat in the U.S. Beaufort Sea, Colville River Delta, Alaska, during the 2014 Open Water Season.
This opinion considers the effects of the issuance of an IHA to take marine mammals by harassment under the MMPA incidental to open-water seismic surveys to SAE in the nearshore waters of the Colville River Delta in the U.S. Beaufort Sea from August 15 to October 15, 2014. These actions have the potential to affect the:
- endangered bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus)
- threatened Arctic subspecies of ringed seal (Phoca hispida hispida)
- threatened Beringia DPS of bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus barbatus)
Action Agency: National Marine Fisheries Service's Office of Protected Resources - Permits and Conservation Division
NMFS Consultation Number: AKR-2014-9383