Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; U.S. Navy Missile Launches From San Nicolas Island, California

Upon application from the U.S. Navy (Navy), Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), we (the National Marine Fisheries Service) are issuing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to missile launches from San Nicolas Island (SNI) from June 2014 through June 2019. These regulations allows us to issue a Letter 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 or stocks and their habitat, and set forth requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of the incidental take.