0648-BF98 201610 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Approach Regulations for Humpback Whales in Hawaii Under the MMPA

These regulations would maintain existing humpback approach regulations. The purpose of the rule is to protect humpback whales from forms of "take" as defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and its implementing regulations. The National Marine Fisheries Service established approach regulations for humpback whales under the Endangered Species Act in 1995; corresponding Marine Mammal Protection Act regulations are necessary and appropriate to ensure that humpback whales in Hawaii continue to receive protections from activities that result in take in the event that humpback whales are no longer protected under the Endangered Species Act. These final Marine Mammal Protection Act regulations are virtually the same as existing Endangered Species Act regulations, and will result in no change to the local economy or to the whale watching industry.

]]> Substantive, Nonsignificant First Time Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No 50 CFR 216 16 U.S.C. 1372 16 U.S.C. 1382 No Interim Final Rule 11/00/2016 No No None No No No No Donna Wieting Director, Office of Protected Resources 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 301 427-8400 National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910