Browse all letters: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
2020 Commission letters and agency responses are provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed. Additional information on PDFs.
The Marine Mammal Commission’s comments on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s request for information on current and future plans for Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in the Gulf of Mexico, Southern California, and nationwide.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from Dr. Colleen Reichmuth to conduct research on captive pinnipeds in California and Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Marine Fisheries Service’s Draft Recovery Plan for the Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whale Distinct Population Segment.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Marine Mammal Lab to conduct research on pinnipeds in the Arctic.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Recommendations for BOEM’s FY 2022-2023 Environmental Studies Plan.
Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management
Not yet available.
Draft contraceptive plan from Mystic Aquarium for five beluga whales to be imported for research purposes.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from City of Ketchikan to take marine mammals incidental to conducting Berth improvements in Ketchikan, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Request from U.S. Navy to modify its incidental harassment authorization to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving and removal in association with the service pier extension project at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor in Washington.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Proposed permit program for viewing of Southern Resident killer whales by commercial whale-watching operators.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Application from Washington State Department of Transportation to take marine mammals incidental to removing piles at the casting basin in Aberdeen, Washington.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Plimsoll Productions to film Northern elephant seals in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Inadequate response from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the Commission’s recommendations regarding permit applications.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Not available yet.
Notice of plans to conduct Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study.
United States Coast Guard
Not available yet.
Application from Port of Kalama to renew its authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction of the Kalama Manufacturing and Marine Export Facility on the Columbia River in Washington.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from U.S. Coast Guard to take marine mammals incidental to expanding the existing wharf at the Coast Guard Base Los Angeles/Long Beach in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
2021 List of Fisheries.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Proposed rule regarding guidelines for safely deterring marine mammals.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Proposed revisions to the implementing regulations for the Animal Welfare Act.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Application from Matson’s Lab to amend its permit to import, receive, possess, and export marine mammal samples.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Petition from Sea Shepherd asking National Marine Fisheries Service to ban imports of seafood and seafood products imported from New Zealand fisheries that are responsible for serious injuries and mortalities of endangered Maui dolphins.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Information provided for National Marines Fisheries Service Endangered Species Act 5-year review of Southern Right Whales.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from University of Florida to import, receive, possess, and export samples from cetaceans and pinnipeds.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Applications from Mr. Hamilton James to photograph southern and northern sea otters in California and Alaska.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Application from Southwest Fisheries Science Center to take marine mammals incidental to conducting fisheries research surveys.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Plimsoll Productions to amend its permit to photograph bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums to import, receive, possess and export samples from cetaceans and pinnipeds.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Proposed rule to define the term “habitat” under the Endangered Species Act.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Point Blue Conservation Science to take marine mammals incidental to conducting seabird research activities on Southeast Farallon Island, Año Nuevo Island, and Point Reyes National Seashore in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Iain Kerr to conduct research on cetaceans in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Ørsted Wind Power North America, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to conducting high-resolution geophysical surveys in coastal waters from New York to Massachusetts.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Lars Bejder to amend his permit to conduct research on cetaceans in Hawaii and Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to constructing the Transit Protection Program pier at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor in Washington.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Alaska Gasline Development Corporation to take marine mammals incidental to construction of the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas project in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory to take marine mammals incidental to conducting a marine geophysical survey in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Proposal from NOAA for a citizen science strategy to complement the five other “Science and Technology Focal Areas”.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Not yet available.
Application from Point Blue Conservation Science to take pinnipeds incidental to conducting seabird research activities in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Daniel Costa to conduct research on northern elephant seals in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from Washington Department of Transportation to take marine mammals incidental to reconfiguring the Seattle Ferry Terminal at Colman Dock in Washington.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to renew its authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting various monitoring, research, and enforcement activities within the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Massachusetts.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Notice of availability of the supplement to Vineyard Wind Offshore Energy Project draft environmental impact statement for Vineyard Wind LLC’s construction and operations plan.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Application from Office of Naval Research to renew its authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting research activities in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from New York Genome Center to import samples from humpback whales.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from USGS to conduct research on southern sea otters.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Application from Equinor Wind, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to conducting high-resolution geophysical surveys off New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhoda Island, and Massachusetts.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Washington State Department of Transportation to take marine mammals incidental to constructing a ferry terminal in Mukilteo, Washington.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dominion Energy Virginia to take marine mammals incidental to conducting high-resolution geophysical surveys off Virginia.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Christopher Cilfone to film humpback whales in Hawaii.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from City and County of San Francisco to take marine mammals incidental to conducting various construction activities on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay, California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Mayflower Wind Energy, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to conducting high-resolution geophysical surveys off Massachusetts.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Wildstar Films to film bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Applications from Mr. Hamilton James to photograph northern and southern sea otters in Alaska and California.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Not available yet.
Application from Wild Space Productions to film southern sea otters in Monterey Bay, California.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Application from U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to conducting training and research, development, test, and evaluation activities within the Northwest Training and Testing study area.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Allyson Hindle to import, receive, possess, and export samples from cetaceans and pinnipeds.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Eugene DeRango to import and possess samples from Galapagos sea lions.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from University of California at San Francisco to import, receive, possess and export samples from cetaceans.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Oregon State University to amend its permit to conduct research on cetaceans.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from U.S. Navy to renew its authorization to take pinnipeds incidental to conducting target and missile launch activities on San Nicolas Island, California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Applications from Rio Grande LNG, LLC and Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to constructing two separate LNG facilities in the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Chevron Products Company to renew its authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting construction activities at Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Long Wharf in Richmond, California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Crowley Fuels, LLC, to take marine mammals incidental to upgrading a dock in Kotzebue, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Issues involving responses from the National Marine Fisheries Service to Commission recommendations on proposed incidental take authorizations.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Alaska SeaLife Center to change the authorization under which northern sea otters are held by the facility.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Application from Pacific Shops, Inc., to take marine mammals incidental to improving the marina and shoreline in Alameda, California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Draft Negligible Impact Determination Guidelines under section 101(a)(5)(E) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Marilyn Mazzoil to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins in Florida.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory to take marine mammals incidental to conducting a geophysical survey in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from U.S. Navy to take California sea lions incidental to constructing a floating dock in San Diego, California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Southern sea otter stock assessment report.
U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Application from Gastineau Channel Historical Society to take marine mammals incidental to constructing a mooring float near Juneau, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Patricia Fair to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #5: Living Coastal and Marine Resources – Marine Mammals and Oysters.
Deepwater Horizon Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group
Application from Hampton Roads Connector Partners to take marine mammals incidental to conducting construction activities for the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project in Virginia.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a/ Dominion Energy Virginia to take marine mammals incidental to construction of wind energy turbines off the coast of Virginia.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Concerns regarding the solvency of the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Fund established under section 405 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Marine Mammal Lab to conduct research on northern fur seals in California and Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from Plimsoll Productions to conduct filming activities on common bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Environmental Investigation Agency to film beluga whales in Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from U.S. Marine Corps to take marine mammals incidental to conducting various training exercises at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Range Complex in North Carolina.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Marine Mammal Lab to import, receive, posses, and export samples from cetaceans and pinnipeds.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Power Systems & Supplies of Alaska to take marine mammals incidental to dock construction in Ketchikan, Alaska
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from SeaWorld, LLC to import one Pacific white-sided dolphin from Canada.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to conducting training and research, development, test, and evaluation activities within the Mariana Islands Training and Testing study area.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Vineyard Wind, LLC and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to conducting high-resolution geophysical surveys off the northeast United States.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Final rule creating hard caps on the take of sperm, fin, humpback, and short-finned pilot whales, and bottlenose dolphins in the CA/OR Drift Gillnet Fishery.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from Michelle Shero to conduct research on Weddell seals in Antarctica.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Lack of response from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the Commission’s recommendations regarding permit applications.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Not available yet.
Draft 2019 Stock Assessment Reports.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC and Eni U.S. Operating Co. Inc. to take marine mammals incidental to the construction, maintenance, and operation of ice roads and ice trails on Alaska’s North Slope.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from the City and Borough of Juneau to modify its authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting a waterfront improvement project in Juneau, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Wall to Wall Productions to film harbor seals in California and Oregon.
National Marine Fisheries Services
Application from Andrew Trites to conduct research on southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Environmental Institute of Houston to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Halibut Point Marine Services to take marine incidental to expansion of its dock facility in Sitka, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to take marine mammals incidental to reconstructing the ferry terminal in Gustavus, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which assesses the potential environmental impacts of proposed changes to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, its regulations and management plan.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Proposed designation of Critical Habitat for Western North Pacific’s, Central America’s, and Mexico’s Distinct Population Segments of humpback whales.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Wild Space Productions to amend its permit to film cetaceans and pinnipeds in Monterey Bay.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Partnership for the Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal Oceans at the University of California Santa Cruz to take marine mammals incidental to conducting rocky intertidal monitoring activities along the California and Oregon coasts.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Port of Alaska to take marine mammals incidental to construction of a new petroleum and cement terminal in Anchorage, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from BBC Studios to film humpback whales in Hawaii.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from California Department of Fish and Wildlife to take harbor seals incidental to conducting construction activities in association with a tidal marsh restoration project in Elkhorn Slough, California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs to take marine mammals incidental to conducting a marine geophysical survey in the Amundsen Sea in February 2020.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Dr. Douglas Nowacek to conduct research on cetaceans in the Atlantic Ocean.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from SeaWorld of California to import a Pacific walrus for public display purposes.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Not available yet.
Application from Red Rocks Films to film killer and humpback whales in Antarctica.
National Science Foundation
Application from Alaska Marine Lines to take marine mammals incidental to improving a dock in Lutak Inlet, Alaska.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Application from Point Blue Conservation Science to renew its authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting seabird research activities in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to conducting an ice exercise in the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Not available yet.
Application from Dr. Daniel Zitterbart to conduct research on humpback whales in Antarctica.
National Science Foundation