Issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to the City of Unalaska for the Take of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Construction of the Unalaska Marine Center Dock

NMFS is proposing to issue an IHA to the City of Unalaska to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving and pile removal associated with construction activities that would expand the existing Unalaska Marine Center (UMC) Dock in Dutch Harbor in the City of Unalaska, on Amaknak Island, Alaska. The COU proposes to demolish portions of the existing UMC dock and install a new dock between March 1, 2017 and November 1, 2017. The use of both vibratory and impact pile driving during pile removal and installation is expected to produce underwater sound at levels that have the potential to result in behavioral harassment of marine mammals. Species with the expected potential to be present during all or a portion of the in-water work window include Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), and killer whale (Orcinus orca).

The COU is requesting that NMFS issue a final IHA by March 1, 2017.