Engelhaupt, A. and D. Engelhaupt2024vector digital dataOBIS-SEAMAP2066https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2066OBIS-SEAMAPhttps://doi.org/10.82144/a2e917ebVersion 1.1.0 One hundred forty kilometers (km) east of Naval Station Norfolk (NSN), the world’s largest U.S. Navy base, lies the continental shelf break and the Norfolk Canyon – areas known to have considerable cetacean species diversity based on previous broad-scale stock and population survey assessments. These waters also play a vital role in the U.S. Navy’s training and testing operations given their complex bathymetry and proximity to NSN. In 2015, the U.S. Navy initiated a multi-year study to provide a more detailed assessment of species occurrence, diversity, and habitat use in the Norfolk Canyon region, and to examine medium-scale movements and dive behavior of large whales. Since April 2015, thirty-eight vessel surveys using photo-ID, biopsy sampling, and satellite-monitored tagging techniques were conducted. To date, sightings of 15 cetacean species recorded (including sightings over the continental shelf en route to the study area). Priority species encountered were fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris), and Sowerby’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon Bidens). The species most often sighted were pilot whales (Globicephala sp.), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Additional observations of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), striped dolphins (Stenella coereuleoalba), and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) were also recorded. LIMPET-configured satellite-monitored tags (SPOT6 and SPLASH) have been deployed to date on fin whales, sperm whales, and Sowerby’s beaked whales. Preliminary tag results suggest site-fidelity to the Norfolk Canyon by some sperm whales over periods of weeks, while fin whales show a mix of both minimal and extreme movement patterns within and outside of the study area. Future efforts will provide more detail on habitat use in this region.The goals of this effort focus on addressing fundamental information gaps related to marine mammal occurrence, exposure, and response as identified the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Comprehensive Monitoring Program (DoN 2010) and the follow-up Scientific Advisory Group review (DoN 2011). In order to address these gaps for offshore waters in the VACAPES OPAREA, a combination of techniques are being used, including: (1) photo-ID and behavioral data collection to provide baseline assessments of animal movement patterns, site fidelity, habitat use, life history, and behavior; (2) biopsy sampling for incorporation into existing genetic studies (where opportunities exist) to identify individuals, determine foraging patterns, and assist in delineating stock boundaries; and (3) satellite-linked tagging techniques to provide information on residency patterns and habitat use across intermediate time scales (weeks to months). Residency and movement patterns are of particular interest given the potential for repeated exposure to U.S. Navy training and testing activities known to occur within the area. Although supporting information is limited, preliminary findings from work conducted off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the south suggest a year-round presence of several species of cetaceans near the continental shelf break (Baird et al. 2016, Foley et al. 2016). Tagging efforts will provide longer-term movement patterns to identify extent of overlap with offshore training and testing activities conducted within the VACAPES OPAREA. Given the duration of the tag attachments and experience from previous tagging studies in waters off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, we would expect the potential to track tagged animals to OPAREAS outside of VACAPES, including the Cherry Point OPAREA to the south and the Atlantic City OPAREA to the north. Taking into consideration the multiple intermediate scientific objectives in the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Planning Process (DoN 2013b), the goals of this study are to assist the U.S. Navy and regulatory agencies with environmental planning and compliance by addressing the following questions: Which cetacean species occur over the outer continental shelf to the east of NSN, and how does occurrence fluctuate seasonally? What are the baseline behaviors and ecological relationships of offshore cetaceans within the study area? Do individual cetaceans exhibit site fidelity within specific regions of the study area over periods of weeks, months, or years? What is the seasonal extent of cetacean movements within and around U.S. Navy VACAPES training range boxes? Do cetaceans spend significant time within or primarily move through areas of U.S. Navy live-fire or Anti-Submarine Warfare training events? For additional information on this project as well as access to reports and publications, please visit the project profile on the U.S. Navy’s Marine Species monitoring portal: <a href="https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/reading-room/project-profiles/mid-atlantic-offshore-cetacean-study/" target="_blank">https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/reading-room/project-profiles/mid-atlantic-offshore-cetacean-study/</a>2025-11-07: 371 sightings in Mar 2024 ~ Aug 2025 were appended. 2024-10-31: Sightings in Mar ~ Dec 2023 were appended. 2023-11-07: Sightings in Jan ~ Oct 2022 were appended. Survey tracklines (aggregated over time) are available online and included in a downloadable zip file (shapefile format). Additional references <a href="https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/2415/2649/4756/Engelhaupt_et_al._2018_-_VACAPES_Offshore_Cetacean_Study_2017_-_Final.pdf" target="_blank">Engelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, and D. Engelhaupt. 2018. VACAPES Outer Continental Shelf Cetacean Study, Virginia Beach, Virginia: 2017 Annual Progress Report. Prepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-15-8006, Task Order 35, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. May 2018.</a> <a href="https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/3815/0464/6883/Engelhaupt_et_al._2017_-_VACAPES_Offshore_Cetacean_Study_2016_-_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">Engelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, and D. Engelhaupt. 2017. VACAPES Outer Continental Shelf Cetacean Study, Virginia Beach, Virginia: 2016 Annual Progress Report. Prepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract Nos. N62470-10-3011, Task Orders 03 and 54, and N62470-15-8006, Task Order 5, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virgina.</a>2015041220250828ground conditionCompleteNone plannedNorth Atlantic-75.8866222-74.0260137.43158736.1960288 NoneVACAPES VesselNavy projectMarine Animal SurveyMarine BiologyMarine mammalsSea turtlesVisual SightingVesselNoneNorth AtlanticTaxon coveredMarine mammalsSea turtlesIntegrated Taxonomic Information SystemUnknownNot applicableDownloaded April, 2004http://www.itis.usda.gov/Refer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetmailing and physical address

Refer to the contact information of the dataset

Refer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetNot providedIdentified by observers or researchers conducting the surveyKingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataSubphylumVertebrataClassMammaliaSubclassTheriaInfraclassEutheriaOrderCetaceaSuborderMysticetiFamilyBalaenopteridaeGenusBalaenopteraSpeciesBalaenoptera acutorostrataSpeciesBalaenoptera borealisSpeciesBalaenoptera musculusSpeciesBalaenoptera physalusGenusMegapteraSpeciesMegaptera novaeangliaeFamilyBalaenidaeGenusEubalaenaSpeciesEubalaena glacialisSuborderOdontocetiFamilyDelphinidaeGenusDelphinusSpeciesDelphinus delphisGenusGlobicephalaSpeciesGlobicephala macrorhynchusSpeciesGlobicephala melasGenusGrampusSpeciesGrampus griseusGenusStenellaSpeciesStenella attenuataSpeciesStenella coeruleoalbaSpeciesStenella frontalisGenusTursiopsSpeciesTursiops truncatusFamilyKogiidaeGenusKogiaSpeciesKogia brevicepsSpeciesKogia simaFamilyHyperoodontidaeGenusMesoplodonSpeciesMesoplodon bidensSpeciesMesoplodon mirusGenusZiphiusSpeciesZiphius cavirostrisFamilyPhocoenidaeGenusPhocoenaSpeciesPhocoena phocoenaFamilyPhyseteridaeGenusPhyseterSpeciesPhyseter macrocephalusClassReptiliaOrderTestudinesSuborderCryptodiraSuperfamilyChelonioideaFamilyCheloniidaeSubfamilyCarettinaeGenusCarettaSpeciesCaretta carettaFamilyDermochelyidaeGenusDermochelysSpeciesDermochelys coriacea Open public unless otherwise noted. See Use Constraints for details. 1. Not to use data obtained from OBIS- SEAMAP in any publication, product, or commercial application without proper attribution to the original data provider(s) and OBIS-SEAMAP unless the datasets are explicitly shown under the CC0 policy. Citations or credits are suggested as attribution. If the data you downloaded come from multiple datasets, a citation or credit to each of the datasets is required. Suggested citation for this dataset: Engelhaupt, A. and D. Engelhaupt. 2024. VACAPES Offshore Study Area Observations. Version 1.0.0. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https:// doi.org/10.82144/ a2e917eb. Suggested citation for OBIS- SEAMAP: Halpin, P.N., A.J. Read, E. Fujioka, B.D. Best, B. Donnelly, L.J. Hazen, C. Kot, K. Urian, E. LaBrecque, A. Dimatteo, J. Cleary, C. Good, L.B. Crowder, and K.D. Hyrenbach. 2009. OBIS-SEAMAP: The world data center for marine mammal, sea bird, and sea turtle distributions. Oceanography 22(2):104-115 2. To forward the citation of any publication / report that made use of the data / tools provided by OBIS-SEAMAP for inclusion in our list of references. 3. Not to hold OBIS- SEAMAP or the original data providers liable for errors in the data. While we have made every effort to ensure the quality of the database, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these datasets. 4. The burden for determining fitness for use of the downloaded data for any analyses lies entirely with the user. OBIS-SEAMAP or the original data providers do not support outcomes of your analyses that used the data you downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP. 5. To consider inclusion of the accompanying transect (effort) dataset if available into the methodology of your analyses. 6. Not to redistribute the data you downloaded from OBIS- SEAMAP through any media without contect from OBIS- SEAMAP and the original data providers unless the datasets are explicitly shown under the CC0 policy. Amy Engelhaupt; Dan EngelhauptHDR Inc.; HDR, Inc. mailing and physical address

1209 Independence Blvd Suite 108; 249 Central Park Avenue 

Virginia Beach; Virginia BeachVA; VA23455; 23462-3099 USA; USA 757-390-0771; 757-385-6484amyengelhaupt@gmail.com; Daniel.Engelhaupt@hdrinc.com The U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring Program Relational database Engelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, D. Engelhaupt, M. Richlen, and M. Cotter2021vector digital dataPrepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-15-8006, Task Order 19F4068, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. February 2021https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/9616/2066/8805/Engelhaupt_et_al._2021_-_OCS_VACAPES_2020_FINAL.pdfEngelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, D. Engelhaupt, M. Richlen, and M. Cotter2020vector digital dataPrepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-15-8006, Task Orders 18F4082 and 19F4068, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. April 2020https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/5415/8698/1777/Engelhaupt_et_al._2020_-_VACAPES_OCS_2019.pdfEngelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, D. Engelhaupt, A. DiMatteo, M. Richlen, and M. Cotter2019vector digital dataPrepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-15-8006, Task Order 18F4082, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. July 2019https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/1715/6383/0929/Engelhaupt_et_al._2019_-_VACAPES_OCS_2018.pdfHalpin, P.N., A.J. Read, E. Fujioka, B.D. Best, B. Donnelly, L.J. Hazen, C. Kot, K. Urian, E. LaBrecque, A. Dimatteo, J. Cleary, C. Good, L.B. Crowder, and K.D. Hyrenbach2009Oceanography22(2):104-115 All attributes were measured and recorded during the survey and validated by the data provider. Permissible values for date and time and coordinates were validated by the data provider and the OBIS-SEAMAP data manager. Species identification by the data provider was matched with Integrated Taxonomic Information System. All observation records are included.Data were put through the OBIS-SEAMAP data registration steps.20251107Point 1e-061e-06Decimal degrees D_WGS_1984WGS_1984 6378137.000000298.257224 Biogeographic dataBiogeographic dataNot applicableoidUnique ID number (generated by OBIS-SEAMAP)Data providerUnique ID number (generated by OBIS-SEAMAP)bearingabsData provider111211behaviorBehaviorData providerBehaviorbehavioreventBehavior eventData providerBehavior eventcountcalvesNumber of calvesData provider030countjuvenilesNumber of juvelinesData provider030counttotbestBest estimate of number of animalsData provider01000counttotmaxMaximum estimate of number of animalsData provider11200counttotminMinimum estimate of number of animalsData provider1800depthsoundingDepth as determined in situ via sounding in metersData provider0.0000000004500.000000000distsightThe radial distance to the animalData provider27000headingplatmagneticHeadingData provider0.552304000358.890000000headingplattrueHeadingData provider-1.000000000359.790000000latanimalLatitude of animals in decimal degreesData provider36.196028837.4315870latplatformLatitude of the platform in decimal degreesData provider36.198224637.4258730longanimalLongitude of animals in decimal degreesData provider-75.8866222-74.0260100longplatformLongitude of the platform in decimal degreesData provider-75.8876604-74.0254910sightingnotesSighting notesData providerSighting notesdatetimeDate and time of the sighting at local time zoneData provider2015-04-12 07:51:002025-08-28 13:01:15surveyidSurvey IDData providerSurvey IDspcsnmsciScientific nameData providerScientific namespcsnmcomCommon nameData providerCommon namesp_tsnITIS Taxonomic Serial Number added by OBIS-SEAMAPData providerTaxonomic Serial NumberIntegrated Taxonomic Information SystemsightingnumberSighting NumberData provider144bearingBearingData provider0930datetimeutcDate and time of the sighting at UTCData provider2015-04-12 11:51:002025-08-28 17:01:16observationtypeSighting, Re-sighting, or Focal pointData providerSighting, Re-sighting, or Focal pointbirds(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider(blank in 2015-2018 data)countfemalesNumber of males (blank)Data providerNumber of males (blank)countmalesNumber of females (blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider020countvescargo(blank)Data provider00countvesferries(blank)Data provider(blank)countvesfishing(blank)Data provider01countvesmilitary(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider01countvesmotoryachts(blank)Data provider(blank)countvessailing(blank)Data provider(blank)countvesother(blank)Data provider(blank)cue(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider(blank in 2015-2018 data)groupid(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider01headinganimal(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider9090ordnance(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider(blank in 2015-2018 data)sightingmulti(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider(blank in 2015-2018 data)sightingtimeend(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider2019-01-04 14:35:002021-03-10 20:41:00vertangleorreticle(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider4400opticstype(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider(blank in 2015-2018 data)platformelevation(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider0.000000000305.000000000distsighttype(blank in 2015-2018 data)Data provider(blank in 2015-2018 data)geomGeometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAPData providerGeometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAPThis 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.HDR Environmental, Operations and Construction, Inc. Nicholas School of Environment, Duke Univ. OBIS-SEAMAP mailing and physical address

A328, LSRC

DurhamNC27708USA 919-613-8021 seamap-contact@duke.edu OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset ID 2066Not to hold OBIS-SEAMAP liable for errors in the data. While we have made every effort to ensure the quality of the database, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these datasets. Also please refer to Use Constraints. CSV and ESRI shapefile OBIS-SEAMAP Free Go to the OBIS-SEAMAP web site. 2026022620260226 Ei Fujioka Nicholas School, Duke Universitymailing and physical address

A328, LSRC

DurhamNC27708USA 919-613-8021 seamap-contact@duke.edu FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial MetadataFGDC-STD-001-1998local time http://www.nbii.gov/Biological Data Profile