Final rule · 2026-14578

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Fisheries Research

NMFS, upon request from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), is promulgating regulations to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research in the coastal bays of Texas over the course of 5 years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified activities in the specified geographical region during the effective dates of the regulations, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.