PIFSC, Cetacean Survey, HITEC 2016, Cruise 1604, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

Original provider:
NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC)

Dataset credits:
NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

Abstract:
The Hawaiian Islands Technology for the Ecology of Cetaceans (HI-TEC) survey was a shipboard line-transect survey within 50 nmi of the main Hawaiian Islands (28 June - 27 July 2016). The survey was broken into two legs. Leg 1 (28 June - 4 July) was dedicated to unmanned aerial system (UAS) flight test operations. Leg 2 (4-27 July) included surveys in both leeward and windward water of the islands including offshore seamounts. The ship had to divert from the study area (23-24 July) to avoid Tropical Storm Darby. There were 99 cetacean sightings during which there were 13 species identified and other unidentified dolphins, large whales, and beaked whales.