Cetacean and Sea Turtle Sightings from Northeastern U.S. Continental Shelf Surveys

CETAP surveys recorded whale, dolphin, and sea turtle sightings in outer continental shelf waters from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the Gulf of Maine. The University of Rhode Island conducted the program for the Bureau of Land Management between October 1978 and January 1982. Population surveys aimed to assess species distribution and abundance.

Use Cases

• Model species distribution using sighting location, date, and environmental covariates like distance from shore or isobath.
• Analyze seasonal abundance trends for specific species groups (whales, dolphins, turtles) across the multi-year survey period.
• Assess spatial overlap between different cetacean species and sea turtles using georeferenced sighting coordinates.
• Correlate sighting frequency with bathymetric features, using the 1000-fathom isobath as a key geographic boundary.

Strengths

• Surveys cover a defined geographic area from Cape Hatteras to the Gulf of Maine over 3+ years.
• Data collection followed a structured assessment program sponsored by a federal agency (Bureau of Land Management).

Limitations

• Data is from a limited time period (1978-1982) and may not reflect current population dynamics.
• The spatial scope is restricted to the northeastern U.S. continental shelf, limiting broader geographic inference.
• Unknown sample size (row count) and specific column schema limit immediate assessment of statistical power.

Provenance

Source

University of Rhode Island, conducted for the Bureau of Land Management.

Collection Method

Population surveys (aerial or vessel-based) to assess distribution and abundance.

Time Range

October 1978 to January 1982.

Freshness

Historical dataset; last updated in December 1982.

Geography

Northeastern U.S. outer continental shelf waters from Cape Hatteras, NC, to the Gulf of Maine, from shore to 5 nautical miles seaward of the 1000-fathom isobath.