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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Cetacean visual observations and environmental parameters collected by CTD and other instruments onboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (GU) in the Gulf of America, for the Trophic Interactions and Habitat Requirements of Gulf of America Rice’s Whales project (RESTORE survey GU1901) from 2019-05-31 to 2019-07-31 (NCEI Accession 0305034)

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As part of a Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) Science Program project, the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), in collaboration with Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) and Florida International University (FIU), conducted a shipboard survey in the northeastern Gulf of America from 2019-05-31 to 2019-07-31. Operations occurred in waters where Rice’s whales (Balaenoptera ricei) were previously sighted, between the 180 m and 400 m isobaths from the Florida panhandle to Tampa. The survey was designed with a focus on baleen whales, although sightings of other species were opportunistically recorded. A sighting constituted a single or 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, opportunistic marine mammal photographs, marine mammal biopsy samples, water samples for environmental DNA (eDNA), trawl catch data, and non-marine mammal sightings (a.k.a. occurrences) such as sea turtles. Raw files from conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) casts performed on a daily basis during the survey are also available.
  • Cite as: Garrison, Lance; Soldevilla, Melissa; Mullin, Keith; Hildebrand, John; Heithaus, Michael; Kiszka, Jeremy; Martinez, Anthony; Rappucci, Gina; Dias, Laura Aichinger (2025). Cetacean visual observations and environmental parameters collected by CTD and other instruments onboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (GU) in the Gulf of America, for the Trophic Interactions and Habitat Requirements of Gulf of America Rice’s Whales project (RESTORE survey GU1901) from 2019-05-31 to 2019-07-31 (NCEI Accession 0305034). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/52w6-4c18. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0305034
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2019-05-31 to 2019-07-31
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -87.706
East: -84.52467
South: 26.17167
North: 29.8695
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2025-06-13
  • creation: 2025-06-10
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose This was the third research cruise dedicated to collect information on Rice’s whales (Balaenoptera ricei) in the northeastern Gulf of America. Goals included deploying telemetry tags, conducting visual surveys to understand Rice’s whale spatial distribution, and collecting biopsies, potential fish prey, and other samples.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Garrison, Lance; Soldevilla, Melissa; Mullin, Keith; Hildebrand, John; Heithaus, Michael; Kiszka, Jeremy; Martinez, Anthony; Rappucci, Gina; Dias, Laura Aichinger (2025). Cetacean visual observations and environmental parameters collected by CTD and other instruments onboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (GU) in the Gulf of America, for the Trophic Interactions and Habitat Requirements of Gulf of America Rice’s Whales project (RESTORE survey GU1901) from 2019-05-31 to 2019-07-31 (NCEI Accession 0305034). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/52w6-4c18. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
Collaborators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Points of Contact
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Funding Agency: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)
  • Funding Agency: NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (NMFS/SEFSC)
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Provider Keywords
  • Atmospheric/Ocean indicators
  • Baleen Whales
  • Cetacean
  • DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC
  • DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS
  • Dolphins
  • Endangered species
  • Environmental DNA
  • Gulf of America
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Indicator Species
  • Marine Mammals
  • Ocean temperature
  • Rice's Whales
  • Species distribution models
  • Species/Population interactions
  • United States of America
  • eDNA
  • visual observation
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords Provider Instruments
  • Acoustic Tags
  • Biological sampling
  • Biopsy
  • CTD
  • Camera
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments
  • Midwater Trawls
  • Photograph
  • Ships
  • Signtings
  • Visual observation
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords Provider Project Names
  • Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) Science Program
  • University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS)
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Keywords Send2NCEI Submission Package ID
  • LENUJ5
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Garrison, Lance; Soldevilla, Melissa; Mullin, Keith; Hildebrand, John; Heithaus, Michael; Kiszka, Jeremy; Martinez, Anthony; Rappucci, Gina; Dias, Laura Aichinger (2025). Cetacean visual observations and environmental parameters collected by CTD and other instruments onboard the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (GU) in the Gulf of America, for the Trophic Interactions and Habitat Requirements of Gulf of America Rice’s Whales project (RESTORE survey GU1901) from 2019-05-31 to 2019-07-31 (NCEI Accession 0305034). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/52w6-4c18. Accessed [date].
Data License
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2025-06-13T15:33:53Z - NCEI Accession 0305034 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: cetacean (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Ships; Sampling and Analyzing Method: The goal of the research was to conduct visual and passive acoustic surveys to localize Rice’s whales and conduct close approaches to deploy telemetry tags, collect biopsy samples, and collect photographic data on select Rice’s whales. Survey tracklines were oriented along the 180–400 m isobaths, with a focus on the 200 m isobath.; Data Quality Method: Data auditing consisted of making corrections based on error log notes from the field, plotting trackline points to identify errors made when recording effort status, and verifying sighting data based on data sheets from the field.
  • Parameter or Variable: visual observation (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: BIG EYE BINOCULARS
  • Parameter or Variable: MARINE MAMMALS (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: BIG EYE BINOCULARS
  • Parameter or Variable: dolphins (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: BIG EYE BINOCULARS
  • Parameter or Variable: biological data (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: BIG EYE BINOCULARS
  • Parameter or Variable: Ocean temperature (measured); Units: degrees C; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: CTD; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Environmental data were collected using a conductivity, temperature and depth sensor (CTD) unit. CTD casts recorded vertical profiles of salinity, temperature, and oxygen content to a maximum depth of 255 m.
  • Parameter or Variable: water depth (measured); Units: meter; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: CTD
  • Parameter or Variable: SALINITY (measured); Units: psu; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: CTD
  • Parameter or Variable: OXYGEN (measured); Units: mg/l; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: CTD
  • Parameter or Variable: Biopsy (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: dart biopsy gun; Sampling and Analyzing Method: biopsy dart sampling, http://doi.org/10.7289/V5CC0XN0
  • Parameter or Variable: SPECIES COUNT PER SAMPLE (measured); Units: NA; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: trawl
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • BIG EYE BINOCULARS
  • camera
  • CTD
  • dart biopsy gun
  • photograph
  • trawl
  • visual observation
Platform
  • NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter
Last Modified: 2025-12-14T15:23:09Z
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