AFSC/NMML: Cetacean line-transect survey in the Gulf of Alaska, 2003

Three marine mammal observers participated on a cetacean survey from 26 June to 15 July 2003, aboard the NOAA ship Miller Freeman as a piggyback project during a RACE acoustic-trawl survey for pollock (see RACE.s Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering report here: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jas2003/divrptsRACE2.htm). A total of 2,242 km of trackline were surveyed with 364 cetacean sightings (1,079 individuals). An additional 28 cetacean sightings were made (175 individuals) during off effort periods. Species included harbor porpoise, Dalls porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, killer whales, minke whales, fin whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, Baird.s beaked whales, and Cuviers beaked whales. See link for details: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/jas2003/divrptsNMML2.htm.

The primary objective was to document the distribution of cetacean species occurring on the shelf of the Gulf of Alaska and to collect line-transect data for abundance estimation of cetacean species.

Loaded by FGDC Metadata Uploader, batch 6613, 07-23-2015 14:32

The following FGDC sections are not currently supported in InPort, but were preserved and will be included in the FGDC export:

- Taxonomy (FGDC:taxonomy)

The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.

NOAA denies liability if the data are misused.

The data is identified as NODC Accession Number 0130075, and is publicly accessible online via the NODC Ocean Archive System at http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0130075. Use this link, http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0130075/data/0-data, to access the original data files in the NODC archival information package.

There are no legal restrictions on access to the data. They reside in the public domain and can be freely distributed.

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. Acknowledgement

of NOAA/NMFS/AFSC, as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these, data is suggested.

spreadsheet

Survey data collected with Wincruz (Windows Real Time Sighting-Effort Event Logger developed by Robert Holland at Southwest Fisheries Science Center).

Data were collected using the software WINCRUZ(http://swfsc.noaa.gov/uploadedFiles/Divisions/PRD/WinCruz.pdf) and standard line transect protocols as described in Moore et al. 2002, Progress in Oceanography 55:249-261 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0079661102000824) and Zerbini et al. 2006 Marine Biology 150: 1033-1045 (DOI 10.1007/s00227-006-0347-8). Accuracy was ensured by reviewing and editing the data in the field on a daily basis. Post cruise processing included data extraction and error checking using customized software (Paul Wade, National Marine Mammal Laboratory). Tracklines and sightings were plotted in ArcMap to check for accuracy.

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