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Request for Letter of Authorization for the Taking of Marine Mammals

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Request for Letter of Authorization for the Taking of Marine Mammals UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE Office of Protected Resources PETITION FOR PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS AND REQUEST FOR LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 101 (a) (5) (A) OF THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT for the Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Fisheries and Ecosystem Research Conducted and Funded by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center 50 C.F.R. Part 216, Subpart R April 2020 Submitted by: National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center Prepared By: ECO49 Consulting, LLC Telephone | 907.903.9714 www.ECO49.com This page intentionally left blank. Fisheries and Ecosystem Research LOA Application TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................... v 1. Description of Activities .................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1. Nature of Request ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2. Regulatory Context ................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3. Description of the Activity ........................................................................................................ 1-3 1.3.1. Definition of Action Area ............................................................................................. 1-3 1.3.2. Proposed Action ............................................................................................................ 1-3 2. DATES, DURATION, AND REGION OF ACTIVITY ................................................................. 2-1 2.1. Dates and Durations of Activities ............................................................................................. 2-1 2.2. Region of Activity ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1. California Current Ecosystem ....................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.2. Antarctica ...................................................................................................................... 2-3 3. SPECIES AND NUMBERS OF MARINE MAMMALS IN THE ACTION AREAS ................ 3-1 4. AFFECTED SPECIES STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION ............................................................. 4-1 4.1. California Current Ecosystem (CCE) ....................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1. Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) Morro Bay, Monterey Bay, San Francisco- Russian River, and Northern California-Southern Oregon Stocks ................................ 4-1 4.1.2. Dall’s Porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ............. 4-2 4.1.3. Pacific White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) California, Oregon, Washington and North Pacific Stocks ........................................................................... 4-3 4.1.4. Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) California, Oregon, Washington Stock................ 4-5 4.1.5. Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) California Coastal and Offshore Stocks ...... 4-6 4.1.6 Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ........... 4-7 4.1.6. Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) California, Oregon, Washington Stock .............................................................................................................................. 4-8 4.1.7. Long-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus capensis) California Stock ................... 4-10 4.1.8. Northern Right-Whale Dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ............................................................................................................................ 4-11 4.1.9. Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) ....................................................................................... 4-12 4.1.10. Short-Finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ....................................................................................................... 4-14 4.1.11. Baird’s Beaked Whale (Berardius bairdii) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ... 4-15 4.1.12. Mesoplodont Beaked Whales (Mesoplodon spp.) California, Oregon, Washington Stocks .......................................................................................................................... 4-17 4.1.13. Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ... 4- 18 4.1.14. Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps) ..................................................................... 4-19 4.1.15. Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ...... 4-20 4.1.16. Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Central America and Mexico DPSs ... 4-22 SWFSC | page i Fisheries and Ecosystem Research LOA Application 4.1.17. Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Eastern North Pacific Stock ........................... 4-24 4.1.18. Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ............. 4-26 4.1.19. Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis) Eastern North Pacific Stock ............................... 4-27 4.1.20. Common Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata scammoni) California, Oregon, Washington Stock ....................................................................................................... 4-28 4.1.21. Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) Eastern North Pacific Stock .............................. 4-29 4.1.22. California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) U.S. Stock .......................................... 4-32 4.1.23. Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus monteriensis) Eastern DPS ............................. 4-33 4.1.24. Guadalupe Fur Seal (Arctocephalus townsendi) ......................................................... 4-35 4.1.25. Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus) California Stock ......................................... 4-36 4.1.26. Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) California and Oregon/Washington Coastal, Stocks .......................................................................................................................... 4-37 4.1.27. Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) California Breeding Stock .......... 4-38 4.2. Antarctic Living Marine Resources Ecosystem ...................................................................... 4-39 4.2.1. Spectacled Porpoise (Phocoena dioptrica) ................................................................. 4-39 4.2.2. Hourglass Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) .......................................................... 4-40 4.2.3. Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) ....................................................................................... 4-41 4.2.4. Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) .................................................................... 4-41 4.2.5. Arnoux’s Beaked Whale (Berardius arnuxii) ............................................................. 4-42 4.2.6. Southern Bottlenose Whale (Hyperoodon planifrons) ................................................ 4-42 4.2.7. Long-Finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas edwardii) ......................................... 4-43 4.2.8. Antarctic Minke Whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis).................................................. 4-44 4.2.9. Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) ............................................................. 4-44 4.2.10. Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) ............................................................................ 4-45 4.2.11. Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) ......................................................................... 4-46 4.2.12. Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) ............................................................ 4-46 4.2.13. Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella) ................................................................. 4-46 4.2.14. Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) ............................................................... 4-47 4.2.15. Crabeater Seal (Lobodon carcinophaga) .................................................................... 4-48 4.2.16. Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddelli) ...................................................................... 4-49 4.2.17. Leopard Seal (Hydruga leptonyx) ............................................................................... 4-50 5. TYPE OF INCIDENTAL TAKE AUTHORIZATION REQUESTED ........................................ 5-1 6. TAKE ESTIMATES FOR MARINE MAMMALS ....................................................................... 6-1 6.1. Marine Mammal Densities ........................................................................................................ 6-1 6.2. Sources of Potential Mortality and Serious Injury Due to Research ......................................... 6-5 6.2.1. Mid-water and Surface Trawl Surveys .......................................................................... 6-5 6.2.2. Purse Seine Surveys ...................................................................................................... 6-7 6.2.3. Longline Surveys........................................................................................................... 6-9 6.2.4. Potential SWFSC Interactions with Marine Mammals Not Historically
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