Cetacean visual observations using line-transect survey methods onboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (GU) in the Gulf of Mexico (survey GU0302) from 2003-06-14 to 2003-08-17. (NC...

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is required to prepare an annual Stock Assessment Report (SAR) for each marine mammal stock to update abundance, stock structure, maximum net productivity, human-caused mortality, potential biological removal (PBR), and status. In the summer of 2003, the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) conducted a marine mammal survey in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GMx). Operations occurred in the waters from 200 m deep seaward to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from Brownsville, Texas east into the Straits of Florida. The survey was designed using ship-based, line-transect methods in which experienced marine mammal observers visually located marine mammals, identified the species (to the lowest taxonomic level possible) and counted the number of whales and dolphins sighted along predetermined tracklines. A sighting constitutes a group of marine mammals (whales and dolphins) seen at the same location and time. This dataset includes marine mammal visual observation data and effort points with surveying conditions that can be used in abundance and density modeling per visual line-transect survey protocols. This dataset also includes opportunistic marine mammal photographs and information on biopsy samples collected during the survey.

The primary goal was to conduct visual line-transect survey for abundance estimation, and distribution of cetaceans in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoMx).

The Southeast Fisheries Science Center was authorized to conduct marine mammal research activities during the cruise under Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Permit No. 779-1633. All marine mammal data, including photographs and biopsies, were collected under such permit. Biopsy samples were collected by trained and authorized personnel under the permit. If a photo displaying a marine mammal is used, please include the permit number in the captions and acknowledge NOAA Fisheries.

Cite as: Dias, Laura A.; SEFSC - Miami Lab (2024). Cetacean visual observations using line-transect survey methods onboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (GU) in the Gulf of Mexico (survey GU0302) from 2003-06-14 to 2003-08-17. (NCEI Accession 0294561). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information

This research was carried out [in part] under the auspices of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), a Cooperative Institute of the University of Miami and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, cooperative agreement NA20OAR4320472.

NCEI Archive

The data download from provided links.

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Visual sightings are reviewed by lead observers and the field party chief at sea to verify species identifications and group size counts. Effort and sightings data from digital records are reviewed post-survey and compared to field notes and error logs.

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The data resides on a secure government network requiring multi-factor authentication for network access.