# 18.108 Monitoring.
(a) Operators shall work with PSOs to apply mitigation measures and shall recognize the authority of PSOs up to and including stopping work, except where doing so poses a significant safety risk to personnel.
(b) Duties of PSOs include watching for and identifying sea otters, recording observation details, documenting presence in any applicable monitoring zone, identifying and documenting potential harassment, and working with operators to implement all appropriate mitigation measures.
(c) A sufficient number of PSOs will be available to meet the following criteria: 100 percent monitoring of shutdown zones during all daytime periods of in-water noise-generating work; a maximum of 4 consecutive hours on watch per PSO; a maximum of 12 hours on watch per day per PSO.
(d) All PSOs will complete a training course designed to familiarize individuals with monitoring and data collection procedures. This training will be completed prior to starting work. A field crew leader with prior experience as a sea otter observer will supervise the PSO team. Initially, new or inexperienced PSOs will be paired with experienced PSOs so that the quality of marine mammal observations and data recording is kept consistent. Resumes for candidate PSOs will be made available for the FWS to review.
(e) The PSOs will be provided with reticule binoculars (7×50 or better), big-eye binoculars or spotting scopes (30×), inclinometers, and range finders. Field guides, instructional handbooks, maps, and a contact list will also be made available.
(f) The PSOs will monitor a pre-clearance zone for 30 minutes prior to the commencement of in-water noise-generating activities and following periods of inactivity of more than 30 minutes to ensure all sea otters are not within the shutdown zone prior to initiating or resuming in-water noise-generating activities.
(g) Observers will collect data using the following procedures:
(1) All data will be recorded onto a field form or database.
(2) Global positioning system data, sea state, tidal state, wind force, visibility, and weather condition will be recorded at the beginning and end of a monitoring period, at least every hour in between, at the change of an observer, and upon observation of sea otters.
(3) Observation records of sea otters will include date; time; the observers' locations; sea otter's heading (if moving); weather condition; visibility; number of sea otters; group composition (adults/juveniles); and the location of the sea otters (or distance and direction from the observer).
(4) Observation records will also include initial behaviors of the sea otters, descriptions of project activities and in-water noise levels being generated, the position of sea otters relative to applicable monitoring and mitigation zones, any mitigation measures applied, and any apparent reactions to the project activities before and after mitigation.
(5) For all sea otters in or near a mitigation zone, observers will record the distance from the sound source to the sea otter upon initial observation, the duration of the encounter, and the distance at last observation in order to monitor cumulative sound exposures.
(6) The PSOs will note any instances of sea otters lingering close to or traveling with vessels for prolonged periods of time.
(7) Monitoring of the shutdown zone must continue for 30 minutes following completion of in-water noise-generating activities.