PIFSC, Cetacean Survey, MHI 0901, Cruise 0901, 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 Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center conducted cetacean line-transect abundance surveys in the Hawaiian inner exclusive economic zone surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands (4-27 Feb 2009). The grid of tracklines was established prior to the cruise and was intended to replicate the “Main Islands” stratum of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center 2002 Hawaiian Islands Cetacean Ecosystem Assessment Survey. Eighteen days of on-effort survey were completed during the cruise, resulting in 116 sightings of cetaceans including 12 identified species and a number of unidentified cetaceans. Supplemental information: Data were collected under NMFS permit 774-1714. The data included here are the sightings and on-effort tracks recorded within WinCruz survey software and extracted from the QA/QC'd DAS file using the R package swfscDAS (https://smwoodman.github.io/swfscDAS). Attributes for fields within the trackline files: Cruise - see description in attribute table below segnum - segment number for continuous on-effort line Date - Local date m/dd/yyyy TimeStart - Local time at start of on-effort segment LatStart - Latitude in decimal degrees at starting point of on-effort segment LongStart - Longitude in decimal degrees at starting point of on-effort segment TimeEnd - Local time at end of on-effort segment LatEnd - Latitude in decimal degrees at end point of on-effort segment LongEnd - Longitude in decimal degrees at end point of on-effort segment Mode - see description in attribute table below EffType - see description in attribute table below avgSpdKt - average speed (knots) of the ship over the on-effort segment traveled avgBft - average Beaufort Sea State over the on-effort segment Other data not included here: Photos and biopsy samples were collected during some sightings. Acoustic detections were recorded from a towed hydrophone array. Sonobuoys were deployed opportunistically. A High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package (HARP) was recovered and redeployed off the Kona Coast of Hawaii Island. Oceanographic data were collected (CTD, XBT).