Federal Register #2026-18613

Regulatory Authorization for Incidental Take of Marine Mammals During Atlantic Fisheries Research

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering a request from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) for regulatory authorization related to marine mammal interactions during research in the Atlantic Ocean. - Government Buyer: - Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources - OEMs and Vendors: - No commercial OEMs or vendors are specified; NEFSC is the requesting entity - Products/Services Requested: - Regulatory authorization for incidental take of small numbers of marine mammals - Activities involve fisheries and ecosystem research using trawl gear, longlines, gillnets, fyke nets, and hook and line gear - No physical products or equipment procurement; request is for permission to conduct research with potential marine mammal interactions - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Authorization covers a five-year period - Focus is on regulatory compliance and mitigation of marine mammal impacts during scientific research - Public input is sought to inform regulation development - Research activities may result in serious injury or mortality to marine mammals, requiring regulatory oversight

Description

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received a request from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) for authorization to incidentally take small numbers of marine mammals during fisheries and ecosystem research activities in the Atlantic Ocean. The request covers a period of 5 years from the date of issuance. The NEFSC plans to conduct research using various fishing gear types that may interact with marine mammals, potentially causing serious injury or mortality. NMFS is seeking public comments and information on the application to develop regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals.

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