Bahamas Marine Mammal Survey Opportunistic Sightings

The Bahamas Marine Mammal Survey (BMMS) is a long-term study that has
been documenting the occurrence, distribution, and abundance of marine mammals
around the islands of The Bahamas since 1991. With more than 1900 marine mammal
encounters in The Bahamas, we are providing the only comprehensive
documentation of the marine mammal fauna in this part of the world. Our
research is based on the use of systematic boat-based surveys for describing
the distribution and habitat use of different marine mammal species. We employ
photo-identification techniques for the recognition of individual whales and
dolphins, and we have developed new statistical approaches for using these data
to determine abundance estimates and occupancy patterns. This photographic
sampling is complemented by the collection of skin and faecal samples for
molecular genetic analysis, which are being used to assess levels of genetic
diversity and investigate the structuring of marine mammal populations. The
dataset presented here includes both marine mammal and turtle sightings. The
dataset consists of 89 stranding records between 1944 and 2005, including 15
species with Cuvier's beaked whale being the most common. Marine mammal
sightings data includes 444 sightings between 1988 and 2005, including
sightings reported from the public. The dataset includes 1,934 BMMS vessel
encounters with marine mammals between 1991 and 2005, comprising 20 different
species, with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin representing 60% of all
encounters. Finally, the dataset also includes 101 sightings of turtles
comprising 3 different species between 1991 and 2005.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: A sighting and an encounter is differentiated between
where a sighting is when our vessel was unable to close in on the group of
animals, and an encounter is when closing was successful and photographs /
video recording of the animals were obtained. The dataset includes both
encoutners and sightings off transect (opportunistic) as well as reports from
the public. On-transect sightings and encounters are provided in a different
dataset. Use this dataset along with off-transect tracklines. Note that the
original ship location data were recorded every minute whereas the tracklines
were constructed using locations every five minutes to reduce the data size.

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: ground condition

SPATIAL REFERENCE INFORMATION - GEODETIC MODEL
Horizontal Datum Name: D_WGS_1984
Ellipsoid Name: WGS_1984
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257224