Regulations last checked for updates: Feb 09, 2026

Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries last revised: Jan 22, 2026
All TitlesTitle 50Chapter IIPart 218Subpart H - Subpart H—Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Military Readiness Activities in the Hawaii-California Training and Testing Study Area
View all text of Subpart H [§ 218.70 - § 218.79]
§ 218.72 - Permissible methods of taking.

(a) Under LOAs issued pursuant to § 216.106 of this chapter and this subpart, the Action Proponents 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 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
Gray whaleEastern North Pacific.
Gray whaleWestern North Pacific.
Blue whaleCentral North Pacific.
Blue whaleEastern North Pacific.
Bryde's whaleEastern Tropical Pacific.
Bryde's whaleHawaii.
Fin whaleHawaii.
Fin whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Humpback whaleCentral America/Southern Mexico—California-Oregon-Washington.
Humpback whaleMainland Mexico—California-Oregon-Washington.
Humpback whaleHawaii.
Minke whaleHawaii.
Minke whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Sei whaleHawaii.
Sei whaleEastern North Pacific.
Sperm whaleHawaii.
Sperm whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Dwarf sperm whaleHawaii.
Dwarf sperm whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Pygmy sperm whaleHawaii.
Pygmy sperm whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Baird's beaked whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Blainville's beaked whaleHawaii.
Goose-beaked whaleHawaii.
Goose-beaked whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Longman's beaked whaleHawaii.
Mesoplodont beaked whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
False killer whaleMain Hawaiian Islands Insular.
False killer whaleNorthwest Hawaiian Islands.
False killer whaleHawaii Pelagic.
False killer whaleBaja California Peninsula Mexico population.
Killer whaleHawaii.
Killer whaleEastern North Pacific Offshore.
Killer whaleWest Coast Transient.
Melon-headed whaleHawaiian Islands.
Melon-headed whaleKohala Resident (Hawaii).
Pygmy killer whaleHawaii.
Pygmy killer whaleCalifornia—Baja California Peninsula Mexico population.
Short-finned pilot whaleHawaii.
Short-finned pilot whaleCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Bottlenose dolphinMaui Nui.
Bottlenose dolphinHawaii Island.
Bottlenose dolphinHawaii Pelagic.
Bottlenose dolphinKaua'i/Ni'ihau.
Bottlenose dolphinO'ahu.
Bottlenose dolphinCalifornia Coastal.
Bottlenose dolphinCalifornia/Oregon/Washington Offshore.
Fraser's dolphinHawaii.
Long-beaked common dolphinCalifornia.
Northern right whale dolphinCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Pacific white-sided dolphinCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Pantropical spotted dolphinMaui Nui.
Pantropical spotted dolphinHawaii Island.
Pantropical spotted dolphinHawaii Pelagic.
Pantropical spotted dolphinO'ahu.
Pantropical spotted dolphinBaja California Peninsula Mexico population.
Risso's dolphinHawaii.
Risso's dolphinCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Rough-toothed dolphinHawaii.
Short-beaked common dolphinCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Spinner dolphinHawaii Pelagic.
Spinner dolphinHawaii Island.
Spinner dolphinKaua'i/Ni'ihau.
Spinner dolphinO'ahu/4 Islands Region.
Striped dolphinHawaii Pelagic.
Striped dolphinCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Dall's porpoiseCalifornia/Oregon/Washington.
Harbor porpoiseMonterey Bay.
Harbor porpoiseMorro Bay.
Harbor porpoiseNorthern California/Southern Oregon.
Harbor porpoiseSan Francisco/Russian River.
California sea lionU.S.
Guadalupe fur sealMexico.
Northern fur sealEastern Pacific.
Northern fur sealCalifornia.
Steller sea lionEastern.
Harbor sealCalifornia.
Hawaiian monk sealHawaii.
Northern elephant sealCalifornia Breeding.
authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361
source: 74 FR 28343, June 15, 2009, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 50 CFR 218.72
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