National – Proposed Rule to Implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s Zero Rate Mortality Goal Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) addresses the
This proposed rule would define the “insignificance threshold”, that is, the maximum number of individuals from a particular marine mammal stock that could be removed (through incidental catch in commercial fishing operations) and still be considered “insignificant levels approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate”. The insignificance threshold that has been proposed is 10 percent of a marine mammal stock’s Potential Biological Removal level.
The proposed rule published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2004 and comments will be accepted for 30 days.
National – Proposed Rule to Implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s Zero Rate Mortality Goal
Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) addresses the
taking of marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations. The MMPA provides for the preparation of stock assessments for all marine mammal stocks in waters under U.S. jurisdiction, development and implementation of take reduction plans for stocks that may be reduced or are being maintained below their optimum sustainable population levels due to interactions with commercial fisheries, and studies of pinniped-fishery interactions.This proposed rule would define the “insignificance threshold”, that is, the maximum number of individuals from a particular marine mammal stock that could be removed (through incidental catch in commercial fishing operations) and still be considered “insignificant levels approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate”. The insignificance threshold that has been proposed is 10 percent of a marine mammal stock’s Potential Biological Removal level.
The proposed rule published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2004 and comments will be accepted for 30 days.