Gulf of Mexico sperm whale photo-ID catalog
Data Set (DS) | Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:26432 | Updated: August 9, 2022 | Published / External
Summary
Short Citation
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 2025: Gulf of Mexico sperm whale photo-ID catalog, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/26432.
Full Citation Examples
Photo-identification data on sperm whales occupying the north central Gulf of Mexico have been collected during vessel surveys. Photographs of sperm whales are taken during encounters and markings on tail flukes can be used to identify individual animals. These images have been reviewed and individuals cataloged to evaluate residency and demographic patterns in sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Distribution Information
No Distributions available.
Access Constraints:None
Child Items
No Child Items for this record.
Contact Information
Point of Contact
Lance Garrison
Lance.Garrison@noaa.gov
305-361-4488
Metadata Contact
Keith D Mullin
keith.d.mullin@noaa.gov
228-549-1632
Extents
-98° W,
-80.5° E,
31° N,
24.5° S
Gulf Of Mexico
1994 - Present
Item Identification
| Title: | Gulf of Mexico sperm whale photo-ID catalog |
|---|---|
| Short Name: | Gulf of Mexico sperm whale photo-ID catalog |
| Status: | In Work |
| Abstract: |
Photo-identification data on sperm whales occupying the north central Gulf of Mexico have been collected during vessel surveys. Photographs of sperm whales are taken during encounters and markings on tail flukes can be used to identify individual animals. These images have been reviewed and individuals cataloged to evaluate residency and demographic patterns in sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico. |
| Purpose: |
To examine residency patterns of sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico. |
| Notes: |
A photo-identification study of sperm whales has been ongoing since 1994. Photos are collected during sperm whale research projects in the Gulf of Mexico. The primary type of data collected is photo-identification images that are used to identify indi |
Physical Location
| Organization: | Southeast Fisheries Science Center |
|---|---|
| City: | Miami |
| State/Province: | FL |
| Country: | USA |
| Location Description: |
Location Of The Main Office Of The South East Fisheries Science Center |
Data Set Information
| Data Set Scope Code: | Data Set |
|---|---|
| Data Presentation Form: | Table (digital) |
Support Roles
Data Steward
| Date Effective From: | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Person): | Garrison, Lance |
| Address: |
75 Virginia Beach Dr Miami, FL 33149 |
| Email Address: | Lance.Garrison@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | 305-361-4488 |
| Fax: | 305-361-4478 |
| Business Hours: | 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM EST/EDT |
| Contact Instructions: |
Contact by email preferred. |
Distributor
| Date Effective From: | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Organization): | Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) |
| Address: |
75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami, FL 33149 USA |
| Phone: | (305)361-5761 |
| URL: | https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/southeast-fisheries-science-center |
| Business Hours: | 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST |
Metadata Contact
| Date Effective From: | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Person): | Mullin, Keith D |
| Address: |
3209 Frederic St. Pascagoula, MS 39568 |
| Email Address: | keith.d.mullin@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | 228-549-1632 |
| Fax: | 228-769-9200 |
| Contact Instructions: |
Contact by email preferred. |
Point of Contact
| Date Effective From: | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Person): | Garrison, Lance |
| Address: |
75 Virginia Beach Dr Miami, FL 33149 |
| Email Address: | Lance.Garrison@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | 305-361-4488 |
| Fax: | 305-361-4478 |
| Business Hours: | 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM EST/EDT |
| Contact Instructions: |
Contact by email preferred. |
Extents
| Currentness Reference: | Ground Condition |
|---|
Extent Group 1
Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1
| W° Bound: | -98 | |
|---|---|---|
| E° Bound: | -80.5 | |
| N° Bound: | 31 | |
| S° Bound: | 24.5 | |
| Description |
Gulf Of Mexico |
|
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1
| Time Frame Type: | Continuing |
|---|---|
| Start: | 1994 |
Access Information
| Security Class: | Unclassified |
|---|---|
| Data Access Procedure: |
The data will be available from a public web server once an access methodology has been developed. |
| Data Access Constraints: |
None |
Data Quality
| Quality Control Procedures Employed: |
Visual sightings and effort data are reviewed and verified by field leads after each survey day. Identifications of individual animals are reviewed and verified by multiple individuals using tools within a photo-identification database system. Key entered data are verified by comparison to written data sheets. |
|---|
Data Management
| Have Resources for Management of these Data Been Identified?: | No |
|---|---|
| Approximate Percentage of Budget for these Data Devoted to Data Management: | 0 |
| Do these Data Comply with the Data Access Directive?: | No |
| Is Access to the Data Limited Based on an Approved Waiver?: | No |
| If Distributor (Data Hosting Service) is Needed, Please Indicate: | No |
| Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Dissemination: | 365 |
| If Delay is Longer than Latency of Automated Processing, Indicate Under What Authority Data Access is Delayed: |
N/A |
| Actual or Planned Long-Term Data Archive Location: | To Be Determined |
| If To Be Determined, Unable to Archive, or No Archiving Intended, Explain: |
The archival process is currently under development. |
| Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Archiving: | 365 |
| How Will the Data Be Protected from Accidental or Malicious Modification or Deletion Prior to Receipt by the Archive?: |
The data resides on a secure government network requiring multi-factor authentication for network access. |
Lineage
Process Steps
Process Step 1
| Description: |
Collected photographs are are reviewed and individual animals are identified and compared to previous images of individuals within the catalog. These identifications are then reviewed and verified. |
|---|
Catalog Details
| Catalog Item ID: | 26432 |
|---|---|
| GUID: | gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:26432 |
| Metadata Record Created By: | Lee M Weinberger |
| Metadata Record Created: | 2015-08-14 17:57+0000 |
| Metadata Record Last Modified By: | SysAdmin InPortAdmin |
| Metadata Record Last Modified: | 2022-08-09 17:11+0000 |
| Metadata Record Published: | 2021-04-29 |
| Owner Org: | SEFSC |
| Metadata Publication Status: | Published Externally |
| Do Not Publish?: | N |
| Metadata Last Review Date: | 2021-04-29 |
| Metadata Review Frequency: | 1 Year |
| Metadata Next Review Date: | 2022-04-29 |