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Cetacean and sea turtle spatial density model outputs from visual observations using line-transect survey methods aboard NOAA vessel and aircraft platforms in the Gulf of Mexico from 2003-06-12 to 2019-07-31 (NCEI Accession 0256800)

Published by Southeast Fisheries Science Center | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: December 19, 2025 | Last Modified: 2022-07-29T00:00:00.000+00:00
Based on ship-based and aerial line-transect surveys conducted in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico between 2003 and 2019, the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) developed spatial density models (SDMs) for cetacean and sea turtle species for the entire Gulf of Mexico. SDMs were developed using a generalized additive modeling (GAM) framework to determine the relationship between species abundance and environmental variables (monthly averaged oceanographic conditions during 2015 - 2019). Models were extrapolated beyond the U.S. Gulf of Mexico to provide insight into potential high density areas throughout the Gulf of Mexico. However, extrapolations of this type should be interpreted with caution. This dataset includes 19 shapefiles for the SDMs for each cetacean and sea turtle species or species group.

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DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NODC > National Oceanographic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MAMMALS > CETACEANS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MARINE MAMMALS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MARINE MAMMALS > DOLPHINS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > REPTILES > TURTLES > SEA TURTLES Balaenoptera ricei Caretta caretta Chelonia mydas Dermochelys coriacea Feresa attenuata Globicephala Grampus griseus Kogia Lepidochelys kempii Mesoplodon Orcinus orca Peponocephala electra Physeter macrocephalus Pseudorca crassidens Stenella attenuata Stenella clymene Stenella coeruleoalba Stenella frontalis Stenella longirostris Tursiops truncatus Ziphius OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA BINOCULAR > BINOCULAR INCLINOMETERS > INCLINOMETERS VISUAL OBSERVATIONS > VISUAL OBSERVATIONS DHC-6 > DeHavilland Twin Otter Ships 14450 779-1633 0256800 256800 DOLPHINS MARINE MAMMALS SEA TURTLES cetacean species abundance Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GOMMAPPS) Caribbean Sea Gulf of Mexico BIG EYE BINOCULARS Distance Sampling Line Transect Sampling inclinometer visual estimate visual observation NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter NOAA Ship Pisces 2003-2019 DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Density of Cetaceans and Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico

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