Taking and Importing Marine Mammals: Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active Sonar

Upon application from the U.S. Navy (Navy), we (the National Marine Fisheries Service) are issuing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar on a maximum of four naval surveillance vessels in areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea, from the period of August 15, 2012, through August 15, 2017. These regulations: allow us to issue Letters of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the Navy's specified activities and timeframes; set forth the permissible methods of taking; set forth other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat; and set forth requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of the incidental take.