Aerial Survey Baseline Monitoring in the Continental Shelf Region of the VACAPES OPAREA: January - February 2017

Jackie Bort Thornton; Sarah Mallette; Sarah Mallette

doi:10.15468/4g4fqc

Aerial Survey Baseline Monitoring in the Continental Shelf Region of the VACAPES OPAREA: January - February 2017

Citation

Mallette S. and Barco, S. 2017. Aerial Survey Baseline Monitoring in the Continental Shelf Region of the VACAPES OPAREA: January - February 2017. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2212). https://doi.org/10.15468/4g4fqc accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-15.

Description

Original provider: Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Foundation Dataset credits: Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Foundation Abstract: The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation, Inc. (VAQF) is tasked to conduct aerial surveys for the continental shelf region off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay within the Virginia Capes Operating Area (VACAPES OPAREA) to provide marine species monitoring services. In 2007, a multi-institutional project utilizing multiple platforms (i.e., aerial, vessel, and passive acoustic monitoring) aimed at protected species monitoring off the East Coast of the United States commenced. The current survey will complement existing United States (U.S.) Navy marine species monitoring efforts (Aerial Survey Baseline Monitoring- Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing) and supports environmental planning and regulatory compliance along the East Coast of the United States. This project represents the first year of U.S. Department of the Navy-funded aerial survey efforts off Virginia Beach, Virginia. These surveys build upon previous survey efforts funded by Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program to document large whale occurrence in the vicinity of the Virginia Wind Energy Area (VA WEA) and contribute to regional mid-Atlantic ocean planning efforts. VAQF in collaboration with University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) conducted line-transect aerial surveys from 2012 through 2017, although surveys were not flown every month or with consistent effort between years (Mallette et al. 2014, 2016). The goal of the current aerial survey project is to complement existing monitoring projects and contribute baseline protected species occurrence data, including species distribution; abundance; density estimates; and seasonal habitat usage. The survey site includes an approximately 6,500-square-kilometer area off the coast of Virginia extending from the southern portion of the eastern shore of Virginia to the North Carolina/Virginia state border. The aerial survey design was established based upon advisements from the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modeling (CREEM) at the University of St. Andrews and objectives identified by the U.S. Navy. VAQF conducted fixed-wing aerial line-transect surveys, using previously established distance-sampling protocols, to document the occurrence of marine mammals and sea turtles. VAQF worked closely with the UNCW to maintain consistency among the safety, flight, and data-reporting protocols for Hatteras/Onslow/JAX baseline monitoring projects (McAlarney et al. 2013, 2015). The current report describes monitoring activities that occurred between January 2017 and June 2017. Between the months of January and June 2017, 12 sightings of 14 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were recorded within the "VAQ on-shelf" survey area off the coast of Virginia. No other baleen whale species were recorded during the NAVFAC funded "VAQ on-shelf" aerial surveys during this period. Sightings of whales were documented over four survey days between January and June 2017: 11 January (5 sightings of 5 whales), 12 January (3 sightings of 3 whales), 21 February (1 sighting of 2 whales) and 24 February (3 sightings of 4 whales). Purpose: n/a Supplemental information: This data was created and submitted to the U.S. Department of the Navy on aerial surveys conducted along the continental shelf off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia, from January to June 2017. To build upon the existing dataset in the proximity of the VA WEA, previously established transect lines were modified based upon recommendations from CREEM and discussions with UNCW and the Navy to manage overlap between the coastal (VAQF) and Norfolk Canyon Survey Area offshore (UNCW) survey areas. Static map of effort (tracklines) are visible on the OBIS-SEAMAP web site but not included in the download.

Purpose

n/a

Sampling Description

Study Extent

NA

Sampling

NA

Method steps

NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Caretta caretta
common name: Loggerhead Sea Turtle rank: species
Chondrichthyes
common name: cartilaginous fishes rank: class
Rhinoptera bonasus
common name: cownose ray rank: species
Dermochelys coriacea
common name: Leatherback Sea Turtle rank: species
Delphinus delphis
common name: Short-beaked Common Dolphin rank: species
Megaptera novaeangliae
common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
Delphinidae
common name: dolphins rank: family
Osteichthyes
common name: bony fishes rank: superclass
Manta birostris
common name: Atlantic manta rank: species
Manta birostris
common name: Atlantic manta rank: species
Megaptera novaeangliae
common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
Mola mola
common name: ocean sunfish rank: species
Rhinoptera bonasus
common name: cownose ray rank: species
Osteichthyes
common name: bony fishes rank: superclass
Elasmobranchii
common name: cartilaginous fishes rank: subclass
Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Chelonioidea
rank: superfamily

Geographic Coverages

North Atlantic,Virginia

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Jackie Bort Thornton
originator
position: Primary contact
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic
email: jacqueline.bort@navy.mil

Sarah Mallette
originator
position: Secondary contact
Sarah Mallette
email: sarahmallette@yahoo.com

OBIS-SEAMAP
metadata author
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: https://seamap.env.duke.edu

OBIS-SEAMAP
distributor
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: https://seamap.env.duke.edu

Jackie Bort Thornton
owner
position: Primary contact
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic
email: jacqueline.bort@navy.mil

Sarah Mallette
originator
position: Secondary contact
Sarah Mallette
email: sarahmallette@yahoo.com

Jackie Bort Thornton
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic
email: jacqueline.bort@navy.mil