University of Texas Files for Seismic IHA in Northeastern Pacific Ocean
The University of Texas, Institute for Geophysics (UTIG), with research funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), has requested that the National Marine Fisheries Service grant UTIG an Incidental Hazard Authorization to conduct a marine seismic survey in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. The IHA would be issued under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It would authorize UTIG's non-lethal incidental take of marine mammals under the terms and conditions of the IHA.

UTIG plans to conduct the marine seismic survey during the period June through July 2008. The oceanographic research vessel R/V Thomas G. Thompson will be used for the survey. The Thompson is operated by the University of Washington and owned by the U.S. Navy. The survey will use two Generator-Injector (GI) airguns with a discharge volume of up to 60 in3 each.

Comments on the UTIG IHA are due to NMFS by June 23, 2008.