Aerial survey data from the Cetacean and Turtle Assessment Program (CETAP) recorded sightings of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. The program was sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management and conducted by the University of Rhode Island. Surveys took place from October 1978 to January 1982.
Use Cases
- Model species distribution using sighting location, date, and species identification data.
- Analyze seasonal abundance trends from temporal data spanning over three years.
- Map historical habitat ranges for specific whale or dolphin species from geospatial coordinates.
- Assess co-occurrence patterns of different marine species from multi-species survey records.
- Establish a baseline population estimate for conservation comparisons using systematic survey methodology.
Strengths
- Data collected over a defined 3+ year period from October 1978 to January 1982.
- Systematic aerial surveys cover a large geographic area from Cape Hatteras, NC, to the Gulf of Maine.
Limitations
- Data is temporally stale, with the last update in January 1982.
- The specific sample size (number of sightings or rows) is unknown.
- Geographic scope is limited to the northeastern U.S. outer continental shelf.
Provenance
- Source
- University of Rhode Island, sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
- Collection Method
- Aerial population surveys conducted as part of the Cetacean and Turtle Assessment Program (CETAP).
- Time Range
- October 1978 to January 1982.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Northeastern U.S. outer continental shelf waters from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the Gulf of Maine.