This paper describes a three-tiered system for implementing spill-related environmental effects monitoring (EEM), in which the level of monitoring is linked to the type and size of spill and the magnitude of environmental damage. It describes the system using monitoring of marine birds and commercial fishery species to illustrate the application. Monitoring activities are divided into three tiers, each successive tier gathering more data and better data than the one before. Rationales for the tiers, as well as the criteria for escalating from one monitoring tier to the next are discussed.

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