Digital Aerial Baseline Survey of Marine Wildlife in Support of Offshore Wind Energy - WEA 2016

NYSERDA, Normandeau Associates Inc., APEM Ltd.

In support of New York State’s commitment to incorporating offshore wind into its energy portfolio, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) embarked on a multi-year ultra-high resolution aerial digital survey of marine resources in a 43,745.20 km2 (12,754.06 mi2) offshore planning area (OPA) in 2016. During the first year, the New York WEA, including a 4-km buffer, was surveyed in a grid pattern, which covers 850.92 km2 (248.09 mi2). After the lease was awarded, survey effort over this area was reduced to the same pattern as the rest of the OPA. This dataset is for the NY WEA area. OPA survey data are in a separate dataset.

YR1 consists of Survey01 Summer2016, Survey02 Fall2016, Survey03 Winter2016-17, Survey04 Spring2017.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) contracted with Normandeau Associates Inc. (Normandeau) and teaming partner APEM Inc. (APEM) to use high resolution aerial digital imagery to collect data on birds, marine mammals, sea turtles, cartilaginous fish, and other taxa encountered offshore. Surveys are conducted four times a year over three years. The surveys have been designed in light of available historical data and use the latest digital and sensor technology to provide high identification success. Survey results for birds, marine mammals, turtles, and cartilaginous fish are presented in semiannual reports, which will cumulatively provide insight into interseasonal and interannual variation in species composition, densities, and distributions. Reports are available at https://remote.normandeau.com/nys_docs.php.

[2020-08-06] Data were updated with additional attributes. Species identification was revised.

https://remote.normandeau.com
https://remote.normandeau.com/aer_docs.php?pj=6

Overview

This section explains attributes included in the original dataset. OBIS-SEAMAP restricts the attributes available to the public to date/time, lat/lon and species names/counts only. Should you need other attributes described here, you are encouraged to contact the data provider.

Attributes described below represent those in the original dataset provided by the provider.
All attributes are included in the downloadable file (CSV or ESRI File Geodatabase) for "Complete Set of Dataset".

Attributes in dataset

Attribute (table column)	Description
oid	Unique ID number (generated by OBIS-SEAMAP)
snag_id	Unique ID for target Each entry is 1 individual (except for Fish Shoals which is one entry per 1 shoal encompassing uncounted number of fish)
datetaken	Date image taken, in local time (EST/EDT)
timetaken	Time image taken, in local time (EST/EDT)
id_type	1st level of identification
id_subtype	2nd level of identification Target group type if identified Needs id = Target has not been reviewed for ID Unid. Type = Target has been reviewed and cannot be identified to a subtype
id_species	3rd level of identification Common Name if identified Needs id = Target has not been reviewed for ID species unknown = Target has been reviewed and cannot be identified to species
sp_tsn	Taxonomic Serial Number added by OBIS-SEAMAP
obs_count	Number of animal. Always 1
id_confid	Confidence level of ID: Definite Probable Possible blank = not rated
lengthcm	Generally, head-to-tail length in cm. This is NOT turtle carapace. Ignored for non-animal & fish shoal. NULL = not determined
wingspancm	Wing span tip to tip in cm. 0 = wings are folded up/bird is sitting on surface. Applies to avian only
altitudem	Altitude above sea level in meters of flying birds. 0 = non-flying bird; unk = unable to calculate altitude of flying bird. Applies to avian only
surface	Depth rating. blank = not rated
headingdeg	Direction of target (in degrees)
listed	Yes = Species/Species Group status is listed (as of 2016)
parentimg	Image name where target is located
latitude	Latitude in decimal degrees (WGS84)
longitude	Longitude in decimal degrees (WGS84)
area	Survey area: Always OPA (Offshore Planning Area)
scientific	Scientific name if species is identified
family	Family if species is identified
transectid	Corresponding transect number in format Area-SurveyDateYYYYMMDD-Transect# (e.g. OPA-20160827-101)
transectno	Corresponding transect number only
geom	Geometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAP