Biological Opinion on Quintillion Subsea Operations, LLC, Proposed Subsea Fiber Optic Cable-laying Activities and Proposed Issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization
May 18, 2016
NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region's biological opinion on the proposed actions and their effects on endangered and threatened species and designated critical habitat for those species in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas, Alaska.
This Opinion considers the effects of the proposed subsea cable-laying project and the associated proposed issuance of an IHA. These actions may affect the following species and designated critical habitat:
- bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus)
- fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
- humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
- blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
- North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica)
- sperm whale (Physeter microcephalus)
- western North Pacific gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
- western Distinct Population Segment (DPS) Steller sea lions
- bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)
- Arctic ringed seal (Phoca hispida hispida)
- Steller sea lion critical habitat
- North Pacific right whale critical habitat
We concur with the action agencies’ determinations that this action is not likely to adversely affect the following species or critical habitats: blue, North Pacific right, sperm, and western North Pacific gray whales, western DPS Steller sea lions, North Pacific right whale critical habitat, and Steller sea lion critical habitat (see section 5.1).
Action Agency: NOAA Fisheries, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources
NMFS Consultation Number: AKR-2016-9555