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National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Regional Office

Ice Seals

Ringed, Ribbon, Spotted and Bearded Ice Seals


ribbon seal
Ribbon seal. Photo: Mike Cameron, NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory

MANAGEMENT

Diseased Seals


Bearded and Ringed Seals

Proposed ESA Listings

  • Extension of Public Comment Periods:
    • 76 FR 6754, February 8, 2011. Extension of public comment period on the proposed rule (75 FR 77476, December 10, 2010) to list the Arctic, Okhotsk, Baltic, and Ladoga subspecies of the ringed seal as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Comment period extended through March 25, 2011.
    • 76 FR 6755, February 8, 2011. Extension of public comment period on the proposed rule (75 FR 77496, December 10, 2010) to list the Beringia and Okhotsk Distinct Population Segments of the bearded seal as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Comment period extended through March 25, 2011.
    • News Release: February 8, 2011

Previous ESA Listing-Related Actions


Spotted Seals

Final ESA Listing

Previous ESA Listing-Related Actions


Ribbon Seals

ESA Status Review

  • 76 FR 77467, December 13, 2011. Announcement of initiation of a new status review to determine whether listing the ribbon seal as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act is warranted. Comment period through February 13, 2012.
    • News Release: NOAA to review whether ribbon seal should be listed under the Endangered Species Act

Previous ESA Listing-Related Actions


CO-MANAGEMENT


RESEARCH

NMFS Research

Associated Research


Development in Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

spotted seal pup on ice
Spotted seal pup on ice. Photo: NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory

  • News Release: NOAA issues science-based measures to protect marine mammals during Shell's proposed oil and gas exploratory programs in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas NEW!
    • 77 FR 27322, 05/09/2012. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to offshore exploration drilling on Outer Continental Shelf leases in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. Effective July 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012.
    • 77 FR 27284, 05/09/2012. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Shell Offshore Inc. to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to offshore exploration drilling on Outer Continental Shelf leases in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Effective July 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012.
    • Incidental Harassment Authorization, Shell's Application and NMFS' Environmental Assesment
    • 77 FR 11492, February 27, 2012. Notice of availability of the "Draft Environmental Assessment for the Issuance of Incidental Harassment Authorizations for the Take of Marine Mammals by Harassment Incidental to Conducting Exploratory Drilling Programs in the U.S. Beaufort and Chukchi Seas." Comment period through March 28, 2012.
  • 76 FR 39706, July 6, 2011. Notice of a request from BP Exploration Inc. for authorization for the take of marine mammals incidental to operation of offshore oil and gas facilities in the U.S. Beaufort Sea, Alaska, for the period 2011–2016. Comment period through August 5, 2011.
  • 76 FR 30110, May 24, 2011. Notice of an application from Statoil USA E&P Inc. for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to a proposed open water shallow hazards survey in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska, between July through November 2011. Comment period through June 23, 2011.
  • 74 FR 55539, October 28, 2009. Notice of NMFS and Minerals Management Service's withdrawl of their intent to prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on proposed geophysical exploration using seismic surveys in the waters of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. Effective October 28, 2009.
  • 74 FR 55368, October 27, 2009. Notice of issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Shell Offshore Inc. and Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. Effective August 19, 2009, through August 18, 2010.
  • 73 FR 46774, August 11, 2008. Notice of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by Level-B harassment, incidental to conducting open water shallow hazard and site clearance surveys by ASRC Energy Service in the Chukchi Sea.
  • 73 FR 45969, August 7, 2008. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to PGS Onshore, Inc. to take, by harassment, small numbers of six species of marine mammals incidental to an exploratory 3D marine seismic survey in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Effective July 30, 2008, through July 29, 2009.
  • Federal district court decision to uphold NOAA's issuance of an incidental harassment authorization to Shell Offshore, Inc., July 2008
  • 73 FR 40512, July 15, 2008. Notice of issuance of an IHA to BP Exploration, Inc. to take, by harassment, small numbers of six species of marine mammals incidental to a 3D, ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic survey in the Liberty Prospect, Beaufort Sea, Alaska during July and August, 2008. Effective July 8, 2008, through August 25, 2008.
  • 73 FR 38990, July 8, 2008. Notice of issuance of a letter of authorization to BP Exploration, Inc. to take marine mammals incidental to the production of offshore oil and gas at the Northstar development in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Effective from July 7, 2008, through July 6, 2009.
  • 73 FR 36044, June 25, 2008. Notice of receipt of an application from Shell Offshore, Inc. and its contractor WesternGeco for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting marine geophysical programs, including deep seismic surveys, on oil and gas lease blocks located on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Comment period through July 25, 2008.
  • 73 FR 31816, June 4, 2008. Notice of receipt of application from Shell Offshore, Inc. for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Comment period through July 7, 2008.
  • 73 FR 9535, February 21, 2008. Notification of Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) to take marine mammals, by Level-B harassment, incidental to conducting on-ice marine geophysical research and seismic surveys by CGGVeritas (Veritas) and Shell Offshore, Inc. (SOI) in the U.S. Beaufort Sea.
  • Shell Offshore, Inc. Open Water Exploration and Appraisal Drilling Program (external link)
  • Beaufort Sea Seals (external link)

Strandings




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