final regulations in the Federal Register on 18 May 1982. 

 Subsequently, Letters of Authorization were issued to three 

 applicants to take ringed seals incidental to seismic 

 exploration activities in the Beaufort Sea. 



On 13 October 1982, the Fish and Wildlife Service 

 published proposed regulations, similar to those adopted by 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service, to govern the incidental 

 taking of marine mammal species under the jurisdiction of 

 the Department of the Interior. 



Seasonal Drilling Restrictions in the Beaufort Sea 



In June 1980, the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 advised the Bureau of Land Management, pursuant to Section 

 7 of the Endangered Species Act, that available information 

 was inadequate to determine whether geophysical seismic 

 operations or other activities associated with exploration 

 and exploitation of offshore oil and gas resources in the 

 Beaufort Sea would have adverse effects on bowhead whales or 

 habitat critical to their survival. To minimize the possibility 

 of impacts from oil spills and seismic operations, the 

 Service recommended that drilling in the Beaufort Sea lease 

 areas be prohibited each year from 1 November to 31 March, 

 when clean-up would be difficult because of ice conditions, 

 and that geophysical seismic operations be prohibited between 

 August and October when whales might be present. On 30 July 

 1981, the National Marine Fisheries Service modified its 

 Biological Opinion, recommending that geophysical seismic 

 operations be prohibited from 1 September to 31 October east 

 of Prudhoe Bay, and from 15 September to 31 October west of 

 Prudhoe Bay, or whenever aerial surveys indicate that whales 

 are present in the areas being surveyed. 



On 28 January 1982, the Bureau of Land Management 

 requested that the National Marine Fisheries Service reconsider 

 its recommendations concerning seasonal restrictions on 

 drilling and seismic operations. The Service reviewed 

 available information and, on 1 April 1982, provided an 

 amended Biological Opinion which recommended that: (1) 

 exploratory drilling be prohibited in the Beaufort Sea lease 

 sale area when bowhead whales are present (usually from 1 

 September to 31 October) ; (2) the presence of whales should 

 be determined by aerial or other survey methods; (3) the 

 Department of the Interior should take whatever steps are 

 necessary to assure that the lease area is free from spilled 

 oil when the whales arrive; (4) seismic operations should 

 cease when whales are present in areas where they could be 



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