Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities; Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization for Southeast Alaska Stock of Northern Sea Otters in Angoon, Alaska

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, propose to authorize nonlethal, incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southeast Alaska stock northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027. The applicant has requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with pile driving and marine construction within Killisnoo Harbor in Angoon, Alaska. We estimate that this project may result in, and propose to authorize, the nonlethal incidental take by harassment of up to 34 northern sea otters from the Southeast Alaska stock. Neither the applicant nor the FWS anticipate any lethal take, and the FWS does not propose to authorize any lethal take. We invite comments on the proposed incidental harassment authorization and the accompanying draft environmental assessment from the public, Tribes, and local, State, and Federal agencies.