Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities; North Slope, Alaska

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request from the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, finalize regulations authorizing the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walruses during year-round oil and gas industry activities in the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. Take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring for a period of 5 years. These activities are similar to those covered by the previous 5-year Beaufort Sea incidental take regulations effective from August 5, 2016, through August 5, 2021. This rule authorizes take by harassment only. No lethal take is authorized. We will issue Letters of Authorization, upon request, for specific activities in accordance with these regulations.