Section 218.25 - Requirements for monitoring and reporting(a) Not later than March 1 of each year, the Navy shall develop and submit for NMFS's approval an installation-specific Marine Mammal Monitoring Plan for each year's anticipated work. Final monitoring plans shall be prepared and submitted to NMFS within 30 days following receipt of comments on the draft plans from NMFS.(b) During each in-water work period, the Navy shall update NMFS every two months on the progress of ongoing projects.(c) Trained observers shall receive a general environmental awareness briefing conducted by Navy staff. At a minimum, training shall include identification of the marine mammals that may occur in the project vicinity and relevant mitigation and monitoring requirements. All observers shall have no other construction-related tasks while conducting monitoring.(d) For shutdown zone monitoring, the Navy shall report on implementation of shutdown or delay procedures, including whether the procedures were not implemented and why (when relevant).(e) The Navy shall deploy additional observers to monitor disturbance zones according to the minimum requirements defined in annual Marine Mammal Monitoring Plans, subject to approval by NMFS. These observers shall collect sighting data and behavioral responses to pile driving for marine mammal species observed in the region of activity during the period of activity, and shall communicate with the shutdown zone observer as appropriate with regard to the presence of marine mammals. All observers shall be trained in identification and reporting of marine mammal behaviors.(f) The Navy must conduct hydroacoustic monitoring for a subset of impact-driven steel piles for projects that include more than three such piles. When this requirement for monitoring of impact-driven steel piles is triggered, the Navy must also conduct hydroacoustic monitoring of a subset of impact-driven plastic piles (if applicable).(g) The Navy must submit annual summary, final, and comprehensive summary reports as described in this paragraph (g): (1) Navy shall submit an annual summary report to NMFS not later than 90 days following the end of construction for that year. Navy shall provide a final report within 30 days following resolution of comments on the draft report. These reports shall contain, at minimum, the following: (i) Date and time that monitored activity begins or ends;(ii) Construction activities occurring during each observation period;(iii) Weather parameters (e.g., wind speed, percent cloud cover, visibility);(iv) Water conditions (e.g., sea state, tide state);(v) Species, numbers, and, if possible, sex and age class of marine mammals;(vi) Description of any observable marine mammal behavior patterns, including bearing and direction of travel and distance from pile driving activity;(vii) Distance from pile driving activities to marine mammals and distance from the marine mammals to the observation point;(viii) Description of implementation of mitigation measures (e.g., shutdown or delay);(ix) Locations of all marine mammal observations; and(x) Other human activity in the area.(2) Navy shall submit a comprehensive summary report to NMFS not later than ninety days following the conclusion of marine mammal monitoring efforts described in this subpart.(h) The Navy must submit reports of stranded, injured, or dead marine mammals as described in this paragraph (h): (1) In the event that a live marine mammal is found stranded, whether on shore or in or on any structure or vessel, the following steps shall be taken: (i) Project personnel who discover the marine mammal shall immediately notify the most appropriate onsite personnel with relevant expertise (e.g., marine mammal observers) as well as the Navy (if non-Navy project personnel initially discover the animal).(ii) The Navy shall then immediately notify the West Coast Regional Stranding Coordinator, NMFS, and, in consultation with the Stranding Coordinator, shall immediately notify the most appropriate qualified individual (i.e., biologist or veterinarian) to respond to the event.(iii) In the interim, or in the event that no qualified individual other than onsite marine mammal observers is available to respond to the event, the Navy shall manage the event response and shall take action to prevent any further deterioration of the animal's condition, to the extent possible. Appropriate action may be specific to the event. At minimum, the Navy should provide shade for the animal (if possible), shall not move the animal or cause the animal to move, and shall suspend project activity until the situation is resolved.(iv) The Navy shall report the incident to the Office of Protected Resources (OPR), NMFS, within 48 hours after discovery.(2) In the unanticipated event that the activity defined in § 218.20 clearly causes the take of at least one marine mammal in a prohibited manner, the Navy shall immediately cease such activity and report the incident to OPR and the West Coast Regional Stranding Coordinator, NMFS. Activities shall not resume until NMFS is able to review the circumstances of the prohibited take. NMFS will work with the Navy to determine what measures are necessary to minimize the likelihood of further prohibited take and ensure MMPA compliance. The Navy may not resume their activities until notified by NMFS. The report must include the following information: (i) Time, date, and location (latitude/longitude) of the incident;(ii) Description of the incident;(iii) Environmental conditions (e.g., wind speed and direction, Beaufort sea state, cloud cover, visibility);(iv) Description of all marine mammal observations in the 24 hours preceding the incident;(v) Species identification or description of the animal(s) involved;(vi) Fate of the animal(s); and(vii) Photographs or video footage of the animal(s). Photographs may be taken once the animal(s) have been moved from the waterfront area.(3) In the event that the Navy discovers an injured or dead marine mammal and determines that the cause of the injury or death is unknown and the death is relatively recent (e.g., in less than a moderate state of decomposition), the Navy shall immediately report the incident to OPR and the West Coast Regional Stranding Coordinator, NMFS. The report must include the information identified in paragraph (h)(2) of this section. Activities may continue while NMFS reviews the circumstances of the incident. NMFS will work with the Navy to determine whether additional mitigation measures or modifications to the activities are appropriate.(4) In the event that the Navy discovers an injured or dead marine mammal and determines that the injury or death is not associated with or related to the activities defined in § 218.20 (e.g., previously wounded animal, carcass with moderate to advanced decomposition, scavenger damage), Navy shall report the incident to OPR and the West Coast Regional Stranding Coordinator, NMFS, within 24 hours of the discovery. The Navy shall provide photographs or video footage or other documentation of the stranded animal sighting to NMFS. Photographs may be taken once the animal has been moved from the waterfront area. 84 FR 15983 , 5/17/2019 through 5/17/2024