Subject: Request for Approval, Incidental Harassment Authorization for Non-Lethal Taking

• Main Authors: Attn James, H. Lecky, Of Whales, Seals In The Chukchi, Eastern Beaufort Sea
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Christoffersen; Sikorsky; Soi; Chukchi
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.184.336; http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/permits/shell_arctic_seismic_iha_app.pdf

to conduct a marine geophysical (deep seismic) survey program during open-water season on various U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease blocks in the Chukchi and Mid and Eastern Beaufort Seas. SOI and WesternGeco request an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) pursuant to Section 101 (a) (5) (D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. § 1371 (a) (5), to allow non-lethal takes of whales and seals incidental to offshore geophysical seismic operations. The only type of incidental taking sought in this application is takes by noise harassment stemming from WesternGeco’s deep seismic survey vessel M/V Gilivar, the M/V Kilabuk (or ice-class seismic chase vessel of similar characteristics). The M/V Kilabuk will serve as a resupply, fueling and chase vessel and is capable of assisting in ice management operations but will not deploy seismic acquisition gear. The site clearance and shallow hazards surveys will be conducted by the M/V Henry Christoffersen, the same vessel used during SOI’s 2006 site clearance and shallow hazard surveys. SOI will contract a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter to provide emergency rescue/evacuation and search