Palmyra Bluewater Research Marine Animal Telemetry Dataset, 2022-2023

Marine protected areas (MPAs) in pelagic regions (also called Blue Water) offer one option to help meet conservation goals, and quantifying the efficacy of blue water MPAs to protect species, ecosystems, and the ocean is an important early step. The Palmyra Blue water Research project tracked at-sea movements of nine marine animal species at Palmyra Atoll (part of the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument) and will characterize the marine habitat in which these animals live, with the goal of understanding the impact of MPAs on species and ecosystems. This dataset consists of movement ecology data from ten focal species: satellite-GPS tracking data from bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra), and sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscatus), GPS data from great frigatebirds (Fregata minor) and red-footed boobies (Sula sula), and geolocation data from yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) and reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) that were collected from adult individuals between Febuaray 2022 and May 2023.