Biological Opinion on the issuance of Permit No. 13545 for research on cetaceans within U.S. waters and on the high seas National Marine Fisheries Service, Endangered Species Act Section 7, Biological Opinion

For the actions described in this document, the action agency is NMFS' Office of Protected Resources - Permits, Conservation and Education Division. The consulting agency is NMFS' Office of Protected Resources - Endangered Species Division. NMFS' Office of Protected Resources - Permits, Conservation and Education Division proposes to issue a pennit for passive recording, acoustic tracking, close approaches, photography, videography, close pursuit and following (focal follows), biopsy sampling and the collection of sloughed skin and feces from cetaceans within U.S. waters and on the high seas, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the ESA. These actions will result in direct takes of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), all ofwhich are listed as endangered under the ESA. This ESA Section 7 consultation (Opinion) considers the effects of the proposed studies on endangered and threatened species and designated critical habitat--[Page 2]. [doi:10.7289/V5TH8JR7 (https://doi.org/10.7289/V5TH8JR7)] consultation conducted by: Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. Consultation Tracking number: FPR-2009-4753. Approved on: February 1, 2010. Action Agency: Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes bibliographical references (pages 41-61).