SEUS Right Whale EWS Aerial Surveys 2016-17

Timothy Gowan; Barb Zoodsma; Barb Zoodsma

doi:10.15468/5m34nt

SEUS Right Whale EWS Aerial Surveys 2016-17

Citation

Gowan, T. and B. Zoodsma. 2019. SEUS Right Whale EWS Aerial Surveys 2016-17. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1990) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/5m34nt accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-05-14.

Description

Original provider: Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Dataset credits: NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute Funding for surveys provided by: NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources Abstract: Right whale Early Warning System (EWS) aerial surveys are conducted during winter in the southeastern United States (SEUS). Surveys in this dataset began in 2016/2017 and were flown by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI, formerly Sea to Shore Alliance). FWC surveys were conducted in a Cessna 337 Skymaster aircraft with 2 observers (1 of which was also the data recorder); CMARI surveys were typically conducted in a NOAA Twin Otter aircraft with 2 observers plus 1 dedicated data recorder. Target altitude was 1,000 ft, and target speed was 100 kts. Only large whales, large sharks, and leatherback turtles were consistently recorded by both teams. Manatees, ocean sunfish, and manta rays were consistently recorded by FWC. All other species were recorded opportunistically. Surveys broke track to obtain exact locations for large whales; locations for other species typically represent the location along the survey transect. Supplemental information: Survey data are split into three seasons (2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19). This is the 2016/17 season. The 2017/18 season is available at http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1992. The 2018/19 season is available at http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2004. Effort data are provided. The Trackline field (used to distinguish effort on a predetermined transect from verification surveys and transits) was recorded by observers during surveys. Additional information on species identification and taxonomic resolution may be available in the Notes and Photos fields.

Purpose

Not available

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).

Stenella frontalis
common name: Atlantic Spotted Dolphin rank: species
Cetorhinus maximus
common name: basking shark rank: species
Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Rhinoptera bonasus
common name: cownose ray rank: species
Sphyrna
common name: bonnethead sharks rank: genus
Megaptera novaeangliae
common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
Dermochelys coriacea
common name: Leatherback Sea Turtle rank: species
Caretta caretta
common name: Loggerhead Sea Turtle rank: species
Trichechus manatus
common name: West Indian Manatee rank: species
Manta birostris
common name: Atlantic manta rank: species
Molidae
rank: family
Lepidochelys kempii
common name: Kemp's Ridley rank: species
Eubalaena glacialis
common name: North Atlantic Right Whale rank: species
Isurus
rank: genus
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order
Euselachii
rank: superorder
Euselachii
rank: superorder
Rhincodon typus
common name: whale shark rank: species
Carcharodon carcharias
common name: Great white shark rank: species

Geographic Coverages

North Atlantic

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Timothy Gowan
originator
position: Primary contact
Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
email: Tim.Gowan@MyFWC.com

Barb Zoodsma
originator
position: Secondary contact
NOAA Southeast Regional Office
email: barb.zoodsma@noaa.gov

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

Timothy Gowan
owner
position: Primary contact
Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
email: Tim.Gowan@MyFWC.com

Barb Zoodsma
originator
position: Secondary contact
NOAA Southeast Regional Office
email: barb.zoodsma@noaa.gov

Timothy Gowan
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
email: Tim.Gowan@MyFWC.com