Regulations last checked for updates: May 02, 2025

Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries last revised: Apr 28, 2025
§ 218.72 - Permissible methods of taking.

(a) Under LOAs issued pursuant to §§ 216.106 of this chapter and 218.76, the Holder of the LOAs (hereinafter “Navy”) may incidentally, but not intentionally, take marine mammals within the area described in § 218.70(b) by Level A harassment and Level B harassment associated with the use of active sonar and other acoustic sources and explosives as well as serious injury or mortality associated with vessel strikes and explosives, provided the activity is in compliance with all terms, conditions, and requirements of these regulations in this subpart and the applicable LOAs.

(b) The incidental take of marine mammals by the activities listed in § 218.70(c) is limited to the following species:

Table 1 to Paragraph (b)

Species Stock
Blue whaleCentral North Pacific
Blue whaleEastern North Pacific
Bryde's whaleEastern Tropical Pacific
Bryde's whaleHawaii
Fin whaleCA/OR/WA
Fin whaleHawaii
Humpback whaleCentral America/Southern Mexico-CA/OR/WA
Humpback whaleMainland Mexico-CA/OR/WA
Humpback whaleHawaii
Minke whaleCA/OR/WA
Minke whaleHawaii
Sei whaleEastern North Pacific
Sei whaleHawaii
Gray whaleEastern North Pacific
Gray whaleWestern North Pacific
Sperm whaleCA/OR/WA
Sperm whaleHawaii
Dwarf sperm whaleHawaii
Pygmy sperm whaleHawaii
Kogia whalesCA/OR/WA
Baird's beaked whaleCA/OR/WA
Blainville's beaked whaleHawaii
Goose-beaked whaleCA/OR/WA
Goose-beaked whaleHawaii
Longman's beaked whaleHawaii
Mesoplodon spp.CA/OR/WA
Bottlenose dolphinCalifornia Coastal
Bottlenose dolphinCA/OR/WA Offshore
Bottlenose dolphinHawaii Pelagic
Bottlenose dolphinKauai & Niihau
Bottlenose dolphinOahu
Bottlenose dolphin4-Island
Bottlenose dolphinHawaii
False killer whaleHawaii Pelagic
False killer whaleMain Hawaiian Islands Insular
False killer whaleNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands
Fraser's dolphinHawaii
Killer whaleEastern North Pacific (ENP) Offshore
Killer whaleENP Transient/West Coast Transient
Killer whaleHawaii
Long-beaked common dolphinCalifornia
Melon-headed whaleHawaiian Islands
Melon-headed whaleKohala Resident
Northern right whale dolphinCA/OR/WA
Pacific white-sided dolphinCA/OR/WA
Pantropical spotted dolphinHawaii Island
Pantropical spotted dolphinHawaii Pelagic
Pantropical spotted dolphinOahu
Pantropical spotted dolphin4-Island
Pygmy killer whaleHawaii
Pygmy killer whaleTropical
Risso's dolphinCA/OR/WA
Risso's dolphinHawaii
Rough-toothed dolphinHawaii
Short-beaked common dolphinCA/OR/WA
Short-finned pilot whaleCA/OR/WA
Short-finned pilot whaleHawaii
Spinner dolphinHawaii Island
Spinner dolphinHawaii Pelagic
Spinner dolphinKauai & Niihau
Spinner dolphinOahu & 4-Island
Striped dolphinCA/OR/WA
Striped dolphinHawaii
Dall's porpoiseCA/OR/WA
California sea lionU.S.
Guadalupe fur sealMexico
Northern fur sealCalifornia
Harbor sealCalifornia
Hawaiian monk sealHawaii
Northern elephant sealCalifornia

Note to Table 1: CA/OR/WA = California/Oregon/Washington.

source: 74 FR 28343, June 15, 2009, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 50 CFR 218.72