Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities

Pursuant to the requirements contained in final regulations effective in December 1993 to govern the incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and walrus during year-round oil and gas operations (exploration, development, and production) in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska (50 CFR 18.122), the Fish and Wildlife Service hereby modifies and extends for an additional 40 months through December 15, 1998, the effectiveness of those final regulations. The original final Beaufort Sea regulations were effective beginning on December 16, 1993, for 18 months through June 16, 1995. On June 14, 1995, those regulations were extended for an additional 60 days through August 15, 1995. In addition to this current final rule action to extend the effective date through December 15, 1998, (for a total effective period of five years as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA)), the regulations have also been modified in consideration of concerns received during the public comment period. In addition to this final rule, the Service announces availability of its final Polar Bear Habitat Conservation Strategy (Strategy), the completion of which was prompted by provisions of the 1993 Beaufort Seas regulations.