15 CFR §971.424

1. (a)To allow the Administrator to place appropriate Federal officers or employees as observers aboard vessels used by the permittee in commercial recovery activities to:
   1. (1)Monitor activities at times, and to the extent, the Administrator deems reasonable and necessary to assess the effectiveness of the TCRs of the permit; and
   2. (2)Report to the Administrator whenever those officers or employees have reason to believe there is a failure to comply with the TCRs;
2. (b)To cooperate with Federal officers and employees in the performance of monitoring functions; and
3. (c)To monitor the environmental effects of the commercial recovery activities in accordance with a monitoring plan approved and issued by NOAA as permit TCRs and to submit data and other information as necessary to permit evaluation of environmental effects. The environmental monitoring plan and reporting will respond to the concerns and procedures discussed in subpart F.