Composite Training Unit Exercises and Joint Task ... - Govsupport.us

COMPTUEX/JTFEX EA/OEA Final Chapter 5mammals. Monitoring reports provided to NMFS, unless classified, also shall be provided to theCalifornia Coastal Commission.29. If a stranding occurs during an ASW exercise, NMFS and Navy will coordinate to determine ifmid-frequency active sonar should be temporarily discontinued while the facts surrounding thestranding are collected.5.1.5 Alternative Protective Measures Considered but EliminatedPotential marine mammal acoustic exposures that may result in harassment and/or a behavioral reactionor rarely injury (tissue damage or PTS) are further reduced by the protective measures described above.Therefore, the Navy concludes that the Proposed Action and protective measures achieve the leastpractical adverse impact on species or stocks of marine species.Several additional measures were analyzed and dismissed from primary consideration given unknown,questionable, or limited effectiveness as a protective measure, known or likely detrimental consequencesto personnel safety and the effectiveness of the military readiness activity, and based on the practicality ofimplementation. These measures include:Using non-Navy personnel onboard Navy vessels to provide surveillance of ASW or otherexercise events.ooooooSecurity clearance issues would have to be overcome to allow non-Navy observersonboard exercise participants.Use of non-Navy observers is not necessary given that Navy lookouts are extensivelytrained in spotting items at or near the water surface. Navy lookouts receive more hoursof training, and utilize their skills more frequently, than many third party trainedpersonnel.Use of Navy lookouts is the most effective means to ensure quick and effectivecommunication within the command structure and facilitate implementation of protectivemeasures if marine species are spotted. A critical skill set of effective Navy training iscommunication. Navy lookouts are trained to act swiftly and decisively to ensure thatinformation is passed to the appropriate supervisory personnel.Navy and NMFS have not developed the necessary lengthy and detailed procedures thatwould be required to facilitate the integration of information from non-Navy observersinto the command structure.Some training events during COMPTUEX/JTFEX will span one or more 24-hour periodwith operations underway continuously in that timeframe. It is not feasible to maintainnon-Navy surveillance of these operations given the number of non-Navy observers thatwould be required onboard.Surface ships having active mid-frequency sonar have limited berthing capacity.Exercise planning includes careful consideration of this limited capacity in the placementof exercise controllers, data collection personnel, and Afloat Training Group personnelon ships involved in the exercise. Inclusion of non-Navy observers onboard these shipswould require that in some cases, there would be no additional berthing space foressential Navy personnel required to fully evaluate and efficiently use the trainingopportunity to accomplish the exercise objectives.5-5 February 2007