NEFSC Right Whale Aerial Survey

NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

Dataset credit

Whale Ecology Branch, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA/NMFS

Contacts

Role	Name	Organization
Primary contact	Tim Cole	NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Secondary contact	Christin Khan	NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Secondary contact	Alison Ogilvie	NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Data entry	Ei Fujioka	Duke University

Citation

Cole, T., C. Khan and A. Ogilvie. 2025. NEFSC Right Whale Aerial Survey. Version 2.10.1. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https://doi.org/10.82144/9f540955.

Khan, C., T. Cole, P. Duley, A. Glass and J. Gatzke. 2010. North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) and Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS). Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document. 10-07; 6 p.

Abstract

The North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) is a NOAA Fisheries program which locates and records the seasonal distribution of right whales off the northeastern United States.

Purpose

not provided

Supplemental information

Other references:
Khan C, Cole TVN, Duley P, Glass AH, Niemeyer M, Christman C. 2009. North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) and Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) 2008 Results Summary. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 09-05; 7 p.

Niemeyer, M., T.V.N. Cole, C.L. Christman, P. Duley and A.H. Glass. 2008. North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) and Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) 2007 results summary. Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document. 08-06; 6 p.

Cole TVN, Gerrior P, Merrick RL. 2007. Methodologies of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service aerial survey program for right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in the Northeast U.S., 1998-2006. US Dep Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 07-02; 11 p.

Change History

The dataset has been updated over time as outlined below. Each entry includes the version number, release date, type of change, and a short description.

- 2.10.1 (2025-03-25) - Update

The seconds of the time were missing on June 22nd, 2024. The seconds were filled in.

- 2.10.0 (2025-02-24) - Update

The 2024 data (Aug through Dec) were appended.

- 2.8.0 (2024-09-05) - Update

The 2024 data (Aug through Dec) were appended.

- 2.7.0 (2024-01-23) - Update

The 2023 data (Oct through Dec) were appended.

- 2.6.0 (2023-11-07) - Update

The 2023 data (Jan through Sep) were appended.

- 2.5.0 (2023-02-08) - Update

The 2022 data (Oct through Dec) were appended.

- 2.4.0 (2022-08-31) - Update

The 2022 data (Feb through Aug) were appended.

- 2.3.0 (2022-02-07) - Update

The 2021 data were appended.

- 2.2.0 (2021-09-08) - Update

Sharing license changed from CC-BY-NC to CC0.

- 2.1.0 (2021-06-23) - Update

The 2020 data were appended.

- 2.0.0 (2021-04-24) - Update

Published after organisation is set and ready to be registered into GBIF.

- 1.9.0 (2021-01-04) - Update

The 2018-19 data were appended.

- 1.8.0 (2019-10-30) - Update

The date/time of the 2017 data were corrected (initially they were at UTC. Now they are at local time zone as other records are).

- 1.7.0 (2019-09-16) - Update

Fixed issues on data archives.

- 1.6.1 (2019-09-13) - Update

The 2017 data were appended.

- 1.6.0 (2017-08-04) - Update

IPT server updated to v2.3.4.

- 1.3.1 (2017-03-10) - Update

Data format was changed and the 2016 data were appended.

- 1.3.0 (2016-12-14) - Update

XML parsing error fixed.

- 1.1.0 (2016-08-31) - Update

Data and metadata update.

- 1.0.13 (2016-06-09) - Update

2015 Nov-Dec data were appended.

- 1.0.12 (2016-03-08) - Update

2015 Jan-Aug data were appended.
The following two records got the animal count corrected.
- Right whale 06/03/02 16:58:20 0 -> 3
- Basking shark 06/20/03 17:52:03 0 => 1 (dead shark)

- 1.0.11 (2015-05-06) - Update

2013 winter and 2014 data were appended.

- 1.0.10 (2015-03-24) - Update

A few records had a wrong animal count of zero. The value is replaced with a blank representing species presence only.

- 1.0.9 (2014-08-11) - Update

Sightings originally identified as CWDO and not included in the dataset were reclassified as UNCW (common or white-sided dolphin) and now are included.

- 1.0.8 (2014-02-27) - Update

Data in 2013 Jan through July were appended.

- 1.0.7 (2013-12-18) - Update

The count field for the following two records were updated:
Right whale 2002-06-03 16:58:20: Null (previously a zero)
Basking shark 2003-06-20 17:52:03: 1 (previously a zero)

- 1.0.6 (2013-03-04) - Update

Upon provider's request, right whale sightings with all psb_legstage flags except 9 were dropped to avoid potential re-sightings to be mapped.
psb_legstage, a hidden attribute, is a flag indicating the stage of watch. The value of 9 indicates a final estimate of right whales after the animals were first sighted.

- 1.0.5 (2013-01-22) - Update

2012 data were appended.
Data format for the 2007-2011 data was changed from the Consortium format to the NEFSC original format.

- 1.0.4 (2012-09-24) - Update

The dataset name was changed from NEFSC Right Whale Survey to NEFSC Right Whale Aerial Survey to distinguish this from the associated vessel survey.

- 1.0.3 (2012-06-25) - Update

STDO was classified as Stenella coeruleoalba (previously as Stenella attenuata/frontalis).

- 1.0.2 (2012-06-20) - Update

2011 data were added.

- 1.0.1 (2012-02-08) - Update

Records with LETU sightings were incorrectly associated with Softshell turtles (ITIS TSN: 173845) and was corrected as leatherback sea turtles (ITIS TSN: 173843).

- 1.0.0 (2010-10-26) - Initial

Initial release

References

Gatzke J, Khan C, Henry A, Cole T, Duley P. 2013. North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) and Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) 2012 Results Summary. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 13-08; 7 p.

Khan C, Cole T, Duley P, Henry A, Gatzke J, Corkeron. 2012. North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) and Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) 2011 Results Summary. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 12-09; 6 p.

Attributes

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)
id	definition not provided
source	NEFSC
plane	Type of plane
date_local	Date of the sighting in local time zone
time_local	Time of the sighting in local time zone
event_number	Event number
flight_type	Survey type code. Code descriptions available upon request.
latitude	Latitude in decimal degrees
longitude	Longitude in decimal degrees
legtype	Survey line type code. Code descriptions available upon request.
legstage	Survey watch stage code. Code descriptions available upon request.
psb_legstage	Survey watch stage code. Code descriptions available upon request.
altitude	Altitude in feet
heading	Platform heading (degrees)
speed	Platform speed (knots)
sst_c	Sea surface temperature in celsius
beaufort	Beaufort sea state
visibilty_code	Visibility code
visibilty_nm	Visibility in nautical miles
cloud_code	Cloud code
cloud_percent	Cloud cover as a percentage.
glare_l	Glare at the left side
glare_r	Glare at the right side
quality_l	Quality at the left side
quality_r	Quality at the right side
id_reliability	Reliability of species identification
sighting_number	Sighting number
spcode	Species code
group_size	Group size
calves	Thenumber of calves
bearing	Bearing
actual_heading	Actual heading in degrees
distance	Distance
relative_heading	Relative heading
observer	Observer initials
obs_position	Observer
angle	Declination angle (0-90 degrees) of sighting available upon provider persmission
cue	Sighting cue
b1_final_code	definition not provided
b2_final_code	definition not provided
b3_final_code	definition not provided
b4_final_code	definition not provided
b5_final_code	definition not provided
photos	Is a photo taken: yes=2 no=1
effort_comments	Comments on effort
sighting_comments	Comments on sighting
edit1	Changes made by the 1st editor
edit2	Changes made by the 2nd editor
edit3	Changes made by the 3rd editor
misc_edit1	definition not provided
misc_edit2	definition not provided
misc_edit3	definition not provided
misc_edit4	Changes made by an editor
rid	RID
sp_tsn	ITIS Taxonomic Serial Number added by OBIS-SEAMAP
geom	Geometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAP
timezone_h	definition not provided

OBIS-SEAMAP ID	513
DOI	10.82144/9f540955
Version	2.10.1
Seabirds	0
Marine mammals	41,177
Sea turtles	272
Rays and sharks	5,211
Other species	3,626
Non spatial	1
Non species	55,430
Total	105,717
Date, Begin	1998-05-14
Date, End	2024-12-19
Temporal prec.	111111
Latitude	35.59 - 50.15
Longitude	-76.04 - -58.09
Coord. prec.	5 decimal digits
Platform	Plane
Data type	Animal sighting
Effort	YES (ID: 514)
Traveled (km)	1,196,332
Effort hours	6,887
Registered	2010-10-26
Updated	2025-03-25
Status	Published
Sharing policy	CC0 no rights reserved
Shared with	GBIF OBIS
Metadata in static HTML / FGDC / EML
See download history / statistics