Issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for to Take of Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, 2017/2018

The NMFS Office of Protected Resources proposes to issue an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for the taking of marine mammals incidental to high-energy seismic surveys from the R/V Marcus G. Langseth in the waters of New Zealand in the southwest Pacific Ocean during austral spring and summer, 2017/2018. The surveys would take place within the EEZ and Territorial Waters of New Zealand in water depths ~50 to >5000 m. Potential impacts of the proposed seismic surveys on the environment would be primarily a result of the operation of the airgun array.