Opportunity
Federal Register #29925
NOAA Marine-Mammal Authorization and Cetacean Filming Permit Notice
Buyer
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Posted
October 22, 2026
Respond By
November 23, 2026
Identifier
29925
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service notice describes marine-mammal authorizations and a requested cetacean filming permit, rather than a government purchase of products or services. - Government offices: U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources. - Renewal incidental harassment authorization: TMC may incidentally take marine mammals during the Seward Cruise Ship Passenger Dock and Terminal Facility project in Seward, Alaska. The authorization is approximately one year. - Requested filming permit: Craig O’Connell, Ph.D., of O’Seas Conservation Foundation, Inc. seeks a two-year permit for a documentary about ecological relationships between sharks and cetaceans and threats to them. The request includes observation, harassment, and filming, including opportunistic filming of sharks feeding on marine mammal carcasses. - Proposed annual maximums: 5 humpback whales, 5 minke whales, 100 common dolphins, 100 Atlantic white-sided dolphins, and 50 bottlenose dolphins. - Proposed methods include vessels, unmanned aircraft systems, and underwater divers. - Permit identifier shown: 29925. - No products, OEMs, or purchase quantities are identified. This notice concerns regulatory authorizations, not a competitive procurement.
Description
Craig O'Connell, Ph.D., of O'Seas Conservation Foundation, Inc., has applied for a two-year permit to harass and film cetaceans for a documentary about ecological relationships between sharks and cetaceans and the threats they face. The proposed work may involve vessel, unmanned aircraft system, and underwater-diver observation and filming of specified numbers of humpback whales, minke whales, common dolphins, Atlantic white-sided dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins each year. The notice invites written comments by November 23, 2026; application documents are available by written request to NOAA Fisheries.