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Summary

Description

The goal of this research was to develop Gulf-wide cetacean and sea turtle spatial density models (SDMs) based on line-transect surveys conducted in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Surveys used to develop the SDMs for species occupying continental shelf and oceanic waters of the Gulf of Mexico were conducted during the Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS) project and comparable-prior-year surveys. Aerial survey data from seasonal surveys conducted during 2011/2012 and 2017/2018 (GoMMAPPS Surveys) were used to develop SDMs for cetacean and sea turtle species over the continental shelf. Data collected from vessel surveys, including the two-team surveys conducted during summer 2017, winter 2018, and summer/fall 2018 (GoMMAPPS Surveys) and 2003, 2004, and 2009 (that included only one survey team), were used to develop SDMs for cetaceans in oceanic waters. In addition, for Rice's whale, surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019 were also used in developing the SDMs specific for this species.

Habitat-based SDMs were developed using a generalized additive modeling (GAM) framework to determine the relationship between cetacean and sea turtle abundance and environmental variables. Samples for modeling were created by summarizing survey effort and environmental variables with a hexagon grid developed by the Environmental Protection Agency expanded to fit the entire Gulf of Mexico. The grid was created in a Lambert azimuthal equal area projection and the area of each hexagon is 40 km2. For all hexagons that contained survey effort segments, cetacean and sea turtle density was calculated using total number of animals observed, segment effort length and average sighting condition covariates in the hexagon, and the parameters estimated in distance sampling abundance models. A total of 19 SDMs were developed for individual or groups of species. For each modeled taxon, predictions were made for the period 2015-2019 on the hexagon grid, summarized into mean monthly densities for the 5-year period, and then resampled into traditional raster grids. Models were extrapolated beyond the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico to provide insight into potential high density areas throughout the Gulf. However, extrapolations of this type should be interpreted with caution.

This these predictions are available as raster grids at OBIS-SEAMAP. or as hexagons at NCEI. These models can be used by managers and federal agencies to assist with population assessments, environmental impact analyses, and conservation of these species.

Controlled Theme Keywords

Balaenoptera ricei, Caretta caretta, CETACEANS, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea, DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI, DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NODC, DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC, DOLPHINS, Feresa attenuata, Globicephala, Grampus griseus, Kogia, Lepidochelys kempii, MARINE MAMMALS, Mesoplodon, Orcinus orca, Peponocephala electra, Physeter macrocephalus, Pseudorca crassidens, SEA TURTLES, Stenella attenuata, Stenella clymene, Stenella coeruleoalba, Stenella frontalis, Stenella longirostris, Tursiops truncatus, Ziphius

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Please contact the owner organization (SEFSC) for inquiries on this record.

Item Identification

Title: Density of Cetaceans and Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Abstract:

The goal of this research was to develop Gulf-wide cetacean and sea turtle spatial density models (SDMs) based on line-transect surveys conducted in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Surveys used to develop the SDMs for species occupying continental shelf and oceanic waters of the Gulf of Mexico were conducted during the Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS) project and comparable-prior-year surveys. Aerial survey data from seasonal surveys conducted during 2011/2012 and 2017/2018 (GoMMAPPS Surveys) were used to develop SDMs for cetacean and sea turtle species over the continental shelf. Data collected from vessel surveys, including the two-team surveys conducted during summer 2017, winter 2018, and summer/fall 2018 (GoMMAPPS Surveys) and 2003, 2004, and 2009 (that included only one survey team), were used to develop SDMs for cetaceans in oceanic waters. In addition, for Rice's whale, surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019 were also used in developing the SDMs specific for this species.

Habitat-based SDMs were developed using a generalized additive modeling (GAM) framework to determine the relationship between cetacean and sea turtle abundance and environmental variables. Samples for modeling were created by summarizing survey effort and environmental variables with a hexagon grid developed by the Environmental Protection Agency expanded to fit the entire Gulf of Mexico. The grid was created in a Lambert azimuthal equal area projection and the area of each hexagon is 40 km2. For all hexagons that contained survey effort segments, cetacean and sea turtle density was calculated using total number of animals observed, segment effort length and average sighting condition covariates in the hexagon, and the parameters estimated in distance sampling abundance models. A total of 19 SDMs were developed for individual or groups of species. For each modeled taxon, predictions were made for the period 2015-2019 on the hexagon grid, summarized into mean monthly densities for the 5-year period, and then resampled into traditional raster grids. Models were extrapolated beyond the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico to provide insight into potential high density areas throughout the Gulf. However, extrapolations of this type should be interpreted with caution.

This these predictions are available as raster grids at OBIS-SEAMAP. or as hexagons at NCEI. These models can be used by managers and federal agencies to assist with population assessments, environmental impact analyses, and conservation of these species.

Notes:

All cetacean data were collected under the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) permit number: NMFS ESA/MMPA Permit No.779-1633 and No.14450

Supplemental Information:

This study was funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management through Interagency Agreement M17PG00013 with the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This research was carried out [in part] under the auspices of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), and Cooperative Institute of the University of Miami and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cooperative agreements #NA15OAR4320064 and NA20OAR4320472.

Related Funding Agencies: U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (ORR), United States Navy and the NOAA RESTORE Science Program.

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NODC > National Oceanographic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MAMMALS > CETACEANS
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MARINE MAMMALS
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MARINE MAMMALS > DOLPHINS
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > REPTILES > TURTLES > SEA TURTLES
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Balaenoptera ricei View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Caretta caretta View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Chelonia mydas View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Dermochelys coriacea View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Feresa attenuata View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Globicephala View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Grampus griseus View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Kogia View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Lepidochelys kempii View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Mesoplodon View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Orcinus orca View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Peponocephala electra View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Physeter macrocephalus View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Pseudorca crassidens View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Stenella attenuata View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Stenella clymene View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Stenella coeruleoalba View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Stenella frontalis View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Stenella longirostris View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Tursiops truncatus View WoRMS Aphia Record
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
Ziphius View WoRMS Aphia Record
UNCONTROLLED
ESA/MMPA Permit Number 14450
ESA/MMPA Permit Number 779-1633
NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0256800
NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 256800
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS cetacean
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS DOLPHINS
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS MARINE MAMMALS
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS SEA TURTLES
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS species abundance
NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GOMMAPPS)

Temporal Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None 2003-2019

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO
UNCONTROLLED
NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Caribbean Sea
NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Gulf of Mexico

Instrument Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
BINOCULAR > BINOCULAR
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
INCLINOMETERS > INCLINOMETERS
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
VISUAL OBSERVATIONS > VISUAL OBSERVATIONS
UNCONTROLLED
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS BIG EYE BINOCULARS
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Distance Sampling
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS inclinometer
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Line Transect Sampling
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS visual estimate
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS visual observation

Platform Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
DHC-6 > DeHavilland Twin Otter
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
Ships
UNCONTROLLED
NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter
NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS NOAA Ship Pisces

Acronyms

GAM generalized additive modeling
MCDS multiple covariate distance
MGEL (Duke) Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 70317
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:70317
Metadata Record Created By: Lee M Weinberger
Metadata Record Created: 2023-07-23 10:47+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: Lee M Weinberger
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2023-07-23 22:53+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2023-07-23
Owner Org: SEFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year