[MARMAM] important comment opportunity -- Rice's whale

Dear MARMAM community - I'm writing to alert you to a comment opportunity on an important conservation matter. Recently, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposed designating critical habitat for Rice's whale in the Gulf of Mexico, under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Rice's

[MARMAM] new position on ocean noise at NRDC

Dear MARMAMers, The Marine Mammal project at NRDC is recruiting for a new, permanently endowed position on ocean noise. The position will engage on a broad range of ocean noise issues, with an initial focus on reducing noise from large commercial ships. The work includes national and

[MARMAM] BOEM denies geophysical survey permits in Atlantic

Today, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced that it had denied all six applications for seismic oil and gas surveys now pending off the U.S. east coast. In denying the permits, BOEM concluded that the environmental risks of allowing the surveys to go forward outweighed

[MARMAM] major court ruling on the MMPA

All, On Friday, the Ninth Circuit-the federal court of appeals that presides over much of the western United States-issued a ruling in NRDC v. Pritzker. The case concerns the impacts of the U.S. Navy's SURTASS LFA system on marine mammals, and came to the Court on an appeal by NRDC and our

[MARMAM] op-ed on commercial shipping noise and Navy

Hi All, I want to make folks aware of an unusual op-ed on shipping noise, which was published in Sunday's edition of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Courier. The op-ed was co-authored by myself and William Parker III, a former Commodore in the U.S. Navy and now COO of the EastWest Institute, urging

[MARMAM] settlement reached in Navy sonar case

All, Last year, a number of conservation groups filed litigation in U.S. federal court challenging Navy sonar and underwater explosives activity off Southern California and Hawaii. As I reported last March, the Court ruled in favor of plaintiffs on multiple grounds. Since then, our groups

[MARMAM] opinion issued in Navy sonar/ explosives case

Dear All, A federal court in Hawaii has just issued an opinion in our case challenging Navy sonar and explosives activities, off Southern California and Hawaii, and NMFS' decision to authorize the Navy's take of marine mammals. The Court ruled for Plaintiffs on all claims: for all parties

[MARMAM] job announcement -- NRDC Marine Mammal Fellowship

All, I'm pleased to announce that NRDC will be hiring a two-year, full-time, post-doctoral Fellow in marine mammal science. The Fellow will work with NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Project and allied programs, and be supported by our Science Center. A full description of the position and

Re: [MARMAM] shipping noise guidelines adopted by IMO

of the guidelines has now been released, though it's immured within the IMO's document library. You can download it directly from the following URL: http://docs.nrdc.org/water/files/wat_14050501a.pdf. Cheers, Michael From: Jasny, Michael Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 8:37 AM To: 'MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca

[MARMAM] new endangered species listing for Hawaiian whales

Dear All, Today the National Marine Fisheries Service published a regulation listing the Hawaiian insular false killer whale as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The population is small (~150 animals), demographically isolated, range-limited to the main Hawaiian Islands, and

[MARMAM] new comment period on false killer whale listing

All -- As you may know, NMFS has proposed listing the Hawaii insular false killer whale as endangered under the ESA. In light of new data, it has just reopened its comment period on the listing for fifteen days. The new data largely concern false killer whales photographed and tagged off

[MARMAM] Airguns along the U.S. east coast

Dear All, On behalf of several NGOs, NRDC has submitted extensive comments to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, about its plan to open up the U.S. mid-Atlantic and south Atlantic to seismic surveys. We are deeply concerned about the government's analysis of marine mammal impacts.

[MARMAM] Comments needed on Arctic oil and gas -- Feb. 28 deadline

Dear All, **I'm writing to alert everyone to an important issue for comment.** NMFS recently issued a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on offshore oil and gas exploration - both seismic surveying and drilling - in the Alaskan Arctic. As written, the document contemplates high

[MARMAM] update on ziphius mass stranding in the Ionian Sea

Dear all, I have some additional information on activities taking place in the Ionian Sea that may be associated with yesterday's mass stranding. From November 27 through today (Dec. 2), the Italian Navy has been conducting a major exercise known as Mare Aperto in the central-southern

Re: [MARMAM] New atypical mass stranding of Ziphius in the Ionian Sea, Greece

In response to one of Alexandros' questions: in at least one incident involving Navy sonar training (the Haro Strait, Washington, event of May 2003) witnesses reported hearing sonar whistles above the waterline. These latest strandings are extremely concerning. It has sometimes taken

[MARMAM] deadline next week for false killer whale listing

on submitting comments electronically or by mail can be found on the first page of NMFS' notice, at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-11-17/pdf/2010-28843.pdf. Many thanks, Michael Jasny Michael Jasny Senior Policy Analyst, NRDC 4479 W. 5th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6R1S4 t 604-736-9386

[MARMAM] NOAA announcement on sonar

Dear All, Today NOAA announced a new initiative to potentially mitigate harm from U.S. Navy mid-frequency sonar, and from other sources of ocean noise as well. The announcement, which comes in a letter from Dr. Lubchenco (NOAA Administrator) to Nancy Sutley (Chair of the White House

[MARMAM] first appeals court ruling on sonar

On Friday night, the U.S. Court of Appeals issued a ruling on Navy sonar off southern California. This is the first ruling by a U.S. appeals court on the merits of this issue; and it came down on the same day as a lower court decision on Hawaii sonar training, which Paul Achitoff summarized.in a

[MARMAM] court ruling on mid-frequency sonar

A U.S. District Court judge, in Los Angeles, issued a preliminary injunction yesterday against the U.S. Navy's use of mid-frequency sonar during major exercises off southern California. At yesterday's hearing, the court ruled from the bench (1) that Plaintiffs had shown a probability that the

[MARMAM] LFA comment deadline - next Tuesday

Hi all -- Just a reminder that the comment deadline for the U.S. Navy's SURTASS LFA sonar system is next week. Last week, the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed allowing use of the system, which produces high-intensity, low-frequency sound, within some 70 percent of the world's

[MARMAM] NRDC fellowship - reminder

Dear all, Just a reminder that applications for NRDC's two-year fellowship in marine mammal science are due this Friday, June 15. (See details below.) Best, Michael The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a national nonprofit conservation organization, has an opening

[MARMAM] new NRDC fellowship in marine mammal science

Dear MARMAM-ers, NRDC is offering a new two-year fellowship in marine mammal science, to begin in September. See below for details, and please feel free to contact me with questions. Best, Michael The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a national nonprofit conservation

[MARMAM] Navy exempts itself from MMPA

FYI: the U.S. Navy yesterday issued itself a 2-year exemption from the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for its training with mid-frequency sonar. The exemption covers all of the Navy's sonar training on its ranges and operations areas and all of its major exercises, which take