West Coast Groundfish Observer Program Manual, Part2 - NOAA

CHAPTER 7
3. If the animal is a sea lion or Northern fur seal, collect
the canine teeth and record a dissection type of “3”
(snout) on the Biospecimen Form. Instructions for
collecting pinniped canine teeth are contained earlier in
this chapter.
4. If the animal is a cetacean, collect a tissue sample and
record a dissection type of “4” (tissue) on the
Biospecimen Form. Instructions for collecting
cetacean tissue samples are contained earlier in this
chapter.
5. For both live and dead marine mammals, record
interaction and sighting information on the Marine
Mammal Sighting Form. Include the number and
description (color, location, etc.) of the tag, brand or
tattoo in the notes section.
Marine Mammal Interaction and Sighting
Information
Marine mammal interaction and sighting information helps
NMML determine the distribution and behaviors of marine
mammals. Marine mammal sighting is the lowest priority
Observer responsibility. Sighting information should only
be collected if it does not interfere with other observer data
collection priorities. When collecting marine mammal
interaction and sighting information, pay close attention to
both the physical characteristics of the animal and to its
behavior.
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