Coast Guard Permit to Bug Whales for Alaska Fast Boat Parking?
Published Date: 8/6/2026
Notice
Summary
In accordance with regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a modified incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction activities associated with fast response cutter (FRC) homeporting in Sitka, Alaska.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
IHA Issued; Subsistence Availability Protected
If you rely on marine mammals for subsistence, NMFS issued a modified incidental harassment authorization to the U.S. Coast Guard for construction in Sitka and determined the authorized take will have a negligible impact on species and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on availability for subsistence uses. The authorization is effective for 1 year from notification, and no later than August 3, 2026.
Piler Material Change Lowers Noise and Work Time
The USCG changed fender piles from 16-inch steel to 14–16-inch plastic. The plastic piles have a sound source level of 162 dB re 1 microPascal at 10 m (1 dB lower than the steel piles), will take 15 minutes per pile instead of 30 minutes, and the installation rate increases from 5 to 6 piles per day while total fender piles (60) and maximum installed per day (8) remain the same. NMFS states calculated harassment zones are slightly smaller and estimated authorized take remains unchanged.
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