NEFSC Right Whale Aerial Survey

NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

Dataset credit

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

Contacts

RoleNameOrganization 
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. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/513) on yyyy-mm-dd.

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

References

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
oidUnique ID number (generated by OBIS-SEAMAP)
iddefinition not provided
sourceNEFSC
planeType of plane
date_localDate of the sighting in local time zone
time_localTime of the sighting in local time zone
event_numberEvent number
flight_typeSurvey type code. Code descriptions available upon request.
latitudeLatitude in decimal degrees
longitudeLongitude in decimal degrees
legtypeSurvey line type code. Code descriptions available upon request.
legstageSurvey watch stage code. Code descriptions available upon request.
psb_legstageSurvey watch stage code. Code descriptions available upon request.
altitudeAltitude in feet
headingPlatform heading (degrees)
speedPlatform speed (knots)
sst_cSea surface temperature in celsius
beaufortBeaufort sea state
visibilty_codeVisibility code
visibilty_nmVisibility in nautical miles
cloud_codeCloud code
cloud_percentCloud cover as a percentage.
glare_lGlare at the left side
glare_rGlare at the right side
quality_lQuality at the left side
quality_rQuality at the right side
id_reliabilityReliability of species identification
sighting_numberSighting number
spcodeSpecies code
group_sizeGroup size
calvesThenumber of calves
bearingBearing
actual_headingActual heading in degrees
distanceDistance
relative_headingRelative heading
observerObserver initials
obs_positionObserver
angleDeclination angle (0-90 degrees) of sighting available upon provider persmission
cueSighting cue
b1_final_codedefinition not provided
b2_final_codedefinition not provided
b3_final_codedefinition not provided
b4_final_codedefinition not provided
b5_final_codedefinition not provided
photosIs a photo taken: yes=2 no=1
effort_commentsComments on effort
sighting_commentsComments on sighting
edit1Changes made by the 1st editor
edit2Changes made by the 2nd editor
edit3Changes made by the 3rd editor
misc_edit1definition not provided
misc_edit2definition not provided
misc_edit3definition not provided
misc_edit4Changes made by an editor
ridRID
sp_tsnITIS taxonomic serial number. This field added by OBIS-SEAMAP
geomGeometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAP
timezone_hdefinition not provided
OBIS-SEAMAP ID513
Seabirds0
Marine mammals41,177
Sea turtles272
Rays and sharks5,211
Other species3,626
Non spatial1
Non species55,430
Total105,717
Date, Begin1998-05-14
Date, End2024-12-19
Temporal prec.111111
Latitude35.59 - 50.15
Longitude-76.04 - -58.09
Coord. prec.5 decimal digits
PlatformPlane
Data typeAnimal sighting
EffortYES (ID: 514)
Traveled (km)1,196,332
Effort hours6,887
Registered2010-10-26
Updated2025-03-25
StatusPublished
Sharing policy CC0 no rights reserved
Shared with GBIF
OBIS
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