NMFS has issued the IHA to Rutgers et al:

[njdiver]

INCIDENTAL HARASSMENT AUTHORIZATION

...to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to a marine geophysical survey conducted by the RIV Marcus . G. Langseth (Langseth) marine geophysical survey in the Atlantic Ocean offshore New Jersey, June through August, 2015.

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental/research/ldeo_nj_iha_signed_5.7.15.pdf

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/04/01/2015-07429/takes-of-marine-mammals-incidental-to-specified-activities-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to-the

[Hotrod]

So..  they can kill 12,532  Bottlenose dolphins    I must be missing something..

 

[DrakeRader]

So..  they can kill 12,532  Bottlenose dolphins    I must be missing something..

 

Hello Hotrod,
NMFS' Incidental Harrassment Authorization is for Level B Takes. Many confuse a "Take" with a "kill," and in such documents the largest estimate is stated. What is missing in the material that NJDIVER posted here and elsewhere this week is some explanation of the context of the Rutgers-led research. Here is a web page put together by Rutgers Professor Greg Mountain that might explain other aspects that are missing. Please let me know if it is answers any other questions?: http://eps.rutgers.edu/slin3d-home

[njdiver]

Lamont-Doherty and NSF Seismic Survey in the NW Atlantic Ocean offshore NJ, Summer 2015


Status Public Comment Period Issued Date Effective Dates
ACTIVE closed 05/07/15 06/01/2015 - 08/31/2015

SUMMARY: We have issued an IHA to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, and Rutgers University to take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals, incidental to conducting a marine seismic survey in the northwest Atlantic Ocean off the New Jersey coast in summer 2015.

Incidental Take Authorization Documents:

· IHA Application [pdf]
· Federal Register notice of Proposed IHA
· References [pdf]
· Public Comments [pdf]
· Issued IHA[pdf]
· Federal Register notice of Issued IHA


Environmental Analyses:

· National Science Foundation's 2014 Draft Amended EA [pdf]
· NSF's 2014 Final EA [pdf]
· NMFS' 2015 EA [pdf]
· NMFS' FONSI [pdf]

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/...rch.htm#nj2015

[fellinger]

Ahhh crap. Time to break out my foil hat again. The timing is great. I thought I heard something on the news the week about the President authorizing actual or proposed oil drilling off the east coast. Hmmm

[njdiver]

The “Final Amended Environmental Assessment of a Marine Geophysical Survey by the R/V Marcus G. Langseth in the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey, Summer 2015” is now available at:

http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/envcomp/nj-seismic-research/summer2015/amended-mountain-nj-margin-ea-final-revised.pdf

[Hotrod]

1006 pages.. think you can break down whats going on with this for us..

[njdiver]

Looks like this is going to happen.  Ship is moored at the SUNY Maritime College just north of the Throgs Neck Bridge.

Here is a sight to get smaller sections of the document:

http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/envcomp/index.jsp


Appendix G has the answers to public comments:

http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/envcomp/nj-seismic-research/summer2015/appendix-g.pdf

[njdiver]

R/V Marcus G. Langseth.  She is on the move!  Presently in the East River going under the Manhattan Bridge heading South.