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NEFSC Metadata Library > Resource Evaluation and Assessment Division > Protected Species Branch > Survey Data >

Right Whale Sightings Advisory System (RWSAS)

Data Set (DS)  |  Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:23305  |  Updated: May 15, 2025  |  Published / External 
Short Citation:
Full Citation Examples
Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 2026: Right Whale Sightings Advisory System (RWSAS), https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/23305.

Item Identification

Title: Right Whale Sightings Advisory System (RWSAS)
Short Name: RWSAS
Status: Completed
Abstract:

The Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) is a NOAA Fisheries program which was designed to reduce collisions between ships and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) by alerting mariners to the presence of the right whales. These reports are obtained from a variety of sources including aerial surveys, shipboard surveys, whale watch vessels, and opportunistic sources (Coast Guard, commercial ships, fishing vessels, and the general public).

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None Eubalaena glacialis
None North Atlantic right whale

Physical Location

Organization: Northeast Fisheries Science Center
City: Woods Hole
State/Province: MA
Country: USA

Data Set Information

Data Set Scope Code: Data Set
Data Set Type: Oracle Database
Maintenance Frequency: Daily
Data Presentation Form: Table (digital)

Support Roles

Data Steward

CC ID: 211494
Date Effective From: 2014
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Josephson, Elizabeth
Address: 166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026
USA
Email Address: elizabeth.josephson@noaa.gov
Phone: 508-495-2362

Distributor

CC ID: 223136
Date Effective From: 2014
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Khan, Christin
Address:
Email Address: christin.khan@noaa.gov
Phone: 508-495-2040
Contact Instructions:

email

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 223328
Date Effective From: 2014
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Khan, Christin
Address:
Email Address: christin.khan@noaa.gov
Phone: 508-495-2040
Contact Instructions:

email

Point of Contact

CC ID: 223331
Date Effective From: 2014
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Khan, Christin
Address:
Email Address: christin.khan@noaa.gov
Phone: 508-495-2040
Contact Instructions:

email

Extents

Currentness Reference: Ground Condition

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 211411
W° Bound: -81.5
E° Bound: -39.7
N° Bound: 51.7
S° Bound: 25.7

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 211403
Time Frame Type: Continuing
Start: 2002-02-06

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Procedure:

Email point of contact.
Data Access Constraints:

Requester needs network access for direct query.

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 247292
Download URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/nmfs_odp_nefsc/PARR/READ/PSB/23305/23305_RWSAS.csv
Distributor:
Description:

1 file: 23305_RWSAS.csv

(data is current as of 1/31/2018)

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 211409
URL: https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys/index.html
URL Type:
Online Resource
Description:

interactive map display of sightings in database - NEFSC

URL 2

CC ID: 211410
URL: https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/protected_resources/right_whale/seus_sightings/index.html
URL Type:
Online Resource
Description:

interactive map display of sightings in database - SE version

Data Quality

Quality Control Procedures Employed:

Data entry personnel evaluate each report and categorize certainty as definite, probable or unknown. Data are inspected visually for outliers.

Data Management

Have Resources for Management of these Data Been Identified?: Yes
Approximate Percentage of Budget for these Data Devoted to Data Management: Unknown
Do these Data Comply with the Data Access Directive?: Yes
Is Access to the Data Limited Based on an Approved Waiver?: No
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Dissemination: <24 hours
Actual or Planned Long-Term Data Archive Location: To Be Determined
If To Be Determined, Unable to Archive, or No Archiving Intended, Explain:

Local archiving may be sufficient.

Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Archiving: < 1 day
How Will the Data Be Protected from Accidental or Malicious Modification or Deletion Prior to Receipt by the Archive?:

Data are stored in Oracle on NEFSC servers which are routinely backed up.

Lineage

Lineage Statement:

Right whale sightings are reported to NEFSC or other qualified organizations and entered directly into Oracle database via online form.

Child Items

Rubric scores updated every 15m

Rubric Score Type Title
Entity RWSAS

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 23305
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:23305
Metadata Record Created By: Elizabeth Josephson
Metadata Record Created: 2015-02-23 15:49+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2025-05-15 19:16+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2016-07-11
Owner Org: NEFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2016-07-11
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2017-07-11