1 1.0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES EXPECTED TO RESULT IN THE INCIDENTAL TAKING OF MARINE MAMMALS

• Main Author: Sandlewood Place
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Beaufort Sea
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.364.6923; http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/permits/sae_iha_application2013.pdf

SAExploration, Inc. (SAE), in partnership with Kuukpik Corporation (Kuukpik), plans to conduct threedimensional (3D) nodal or ocean-bottom cable (OBC) seismic surveys in state and federal waters in the Beaufort Sea during the open water season of 2013. Because this operation could acoustically harass local marine mammals, a form of take as defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), it is subject to governance under MMPA. Incidental and unintentional harassment takes are permitted with the issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). MMPA identifies 14 specific items that must be addressed when applying for an IHA, which allow NMFS to fully evaluate whether the proposed actions remain incidental and unintentional. The 14 items are addressed below relative to the 2013 offshore component of this seismic survey program. 1.1 Overview of Activity The planned 3D seismic survey would occur in the nearshore waters of the Colville River Delta. The exact location of the receiver area is shown in Figure 1-1, and represents a total area of 1,225 square kilometers (473 square miles). The components of the project include laying nodal recording sensors (nodes) on the ocean floor