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Pursuant to Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), upon request from the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), plans to propose regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to conducting fisheries and ecosystem research. The proposed regulations will set forth the permissible methods of taking; means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the affected species or stocks and the habitats (i.e., mitigation) and, if applicable, on their availability for taking for subsistence uses; and requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) issued under the regulations would authorize the take of marine mammals incidental to the specified activities for a 5-year period.