# Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active Sonar in the Western and Central North Pacific Ocean and Eastern Indian Ocean

**Action Urgency Score:** 30/100

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| Type | Final rule |
| Action | Final rule; notification of issuance of Letter of Authorization. |
| Published | 2026-07-28 |
| Effective | 2026-08-12 |
| Significant | No |
| CFR parts | 50 CFR 218 |
| Summary | NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities using Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar systems in the western and central North Pacific and eastern Indian oceans over the course of 7 years from August 2026 through August 2033. These regulations allow for the issuance of a letter of authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during specified activities  |
| Document number | 2026-15206 |

## Why this score
- Final rule.

Source: Federal Register API (Office of the Federal Register) (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/28/2026-15206/takes-of-marine-mammals-incidental-to-specified-activities-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to-us). Last refreshed: 2026-11-04T21:40:49.974Z.
Data from the Federal Register API; the published Federal Register document is authoritative. Informational only, not legal advice.