Cruise Report: NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter Cruise GU24-02, June - August 2024, Vessel Survey for Abundance and Distribution Summer Research Cruise

As part of the Vessel Surveys for Abundance and Distribution of Marine Mammals and Seabirds (VSAD) project, the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) conducted a shipboard survey of the oceanic waters (>100 m deep) of the Gulf of Mexico (GoMx) out to the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to collect data to help inform plans to support marine mammal and seabird population restoration efforts. These data are intended to support planning and evaluation of restoration activities associated with the DWH NRDA restoration effort along with supporting other management and conservation needs.

The survey was conducted between 2 June and 13 August 2024 onboard the 68 m NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter. Operations occurred primarily in waters from 100 m deep seaward to the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from Brownsville, Texas, east into the Straits of Florida

Surveys were conducted along 7,480 km of predetermined tracklines, which uniformly covered oceanic waters and were oriented approximately perpendicular to bathymetry . An additional 948 km of survey tracklines were planned in the western GoMx in Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei) habitat

MMTD-2024-09

The Southeast Fisheries Science Center was authorized to conduct marine mammal research activities during the cruise under Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act (MMPA/ESA) Permit No. 21938-04.

This cruise report is used for documentation and timely communication of preliminary results immediately following the conclusion of the survey. Data, as presented here, are subject to change as further auditing and analysis occur.