https://doi.org/10.82144/c7d01c61 https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1403 https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d135ba77-9d68-466b-bff9-8d1a0c53b7d7 https://obis.org/dataset/924c4d25-6358-44a3-8f4d-24086256ad3e Ghislain Doremus Observatoire Pelagis UMS 3462, University La Rochelle - CNRS Primary contact gdoremus@univ-lr.fr Hélène Peltier Observatoire PELAGIS, UMS 3462, University La Rochelle-CNRS Secondary contact hpeltier@univ-lr.fr OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

A328 LSRC building Durham NC 27708 US

seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

A328 LSRC building Durham NC 27708 US

seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu distributor Ghislain Doremus Observatoire Pelagis UMS 3462, University La Rochelle - CNRS Primary contact gdoremus@univ-lr.fr owner Hélène Peltier Observatoire PELAGIS, UMS 3462, University La Rochelle-CNRS Secondary contact hpeltier@univ-lr.fr originator 2025-07-31 eng Original provider: Observatoire PELAGIS UAR 3462 University La Rochelle - CNRS Dataset credits: Observatoire PELAGIS UAR 3462, University La Rochelle - CNRS Abstract: Since 2003, the Observatoire PELAGIS (La Rochelle University) participated to annual halieutic surveys, led by the IFREMER, to collect data on the distribution of marine top predators in order to estimate their relative abundance and preferred habitats in the Bay of Biscay, the Channel and the North Sea. Each year, three observers take place on board the vessel “Thalassa” to record sightings of seabirds, marine mammals, large fish and fishing boats, from dawn to dusk. Following distance sampling methods, visual censuses are made by two observers (while the third observer is resting) from the upper platform of the boat (min. 14m above the sea level). They are placed on each side of the deck, looking ahead for marine predator with an angle of 180°. For each sighting, the species and the number of individuals are recorded, as well as the behaviour, distance and angle (upon request). Occurrence GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type.xml Observation GBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml Marine Biology Visual sighting Marine Animal Survey Seabirds Marine mammals Cetaceans Sea turtles Elasmobranchii Visual Sighting Vessel N/A [2022-10-20] The records on 2016-09-21 got the longitude sign swapped. they are corrected. [2022-01-18] Data in 2020 and 2021 were appended. [2018-04-26] Data in 2016 and 2017 were appended. Time and group size of the sightings are not available online. They may be released upon request. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 License. https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1403 Oceans,France,Northeast Atlantic -11.292789 47.3583 55.280026 -25.61275 2003-05-29 2021-12-05 Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). species Accipiter nisus Eurasian sparrowhawk species Acrocephalus scirpaceus Eurasian reed warbler species Aegithalos caudatus Long-tailed bushtit genus Alauda Skylarks species Alauda arvensis Eurasian skylark species Alca torda Razorbill species Alcedo atthis Common kingfisher family Alcidae Murres species Alle alle Dovekie species Alopias vulpinus thresher shark species Anas acuta Northern pintail species Anas clypeata Northern shoveler species Anas crecca Eurasian teal species Anas penelope Eurasian wigeon species Anas platyrhynchos Mallard species Anas strepera Gadwall family Anatidae Ducks subfamily Anatinae genus Anser Bean geese species Anser albifrons Greater white-fronted goose species Anser anser Greylag goose genus Anthus Pipits species Anthus petrosus Eurasian rock pipit species Anthus pratensis Meadow pipit genus Apus Common Swifts species Apus apus Common swift species Ardea alba Great egret species Ardea cinerea Gray heron species Arenaria interpres Ruddy turnstone species Asio flammeus Short-eared owl species Asio otus Long-eared owl class Aves Birds species Aythya fuligula Tufted duck species Balaenoptera acutorostrata Common minke whale species Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale family Balaenopteridae Rorquals species Branta bernicla Brant species Bubulcus ibis Cattle egret species Buteo buteo Common buzzard genus Calidris Stints species Calidris alba Sanderling species Calidris alpina Dunlin species Calidris canutus Red knot species Calidris maritima Purple sandpiper species Calonectris diomedea Cory's shearwater species Carduelis cannabina Common linnet species Carduelis carduelis Eurasian goldfinch species Carduelis spinus Eurasian siskin species Caretta caretta Loggerhead sea turtle species Cepphus grylle Black guillemot order Cetacea Cetaceans species Cetorhinus maximus Basking shark order Charadriiformes Shore Birds genus Charadrius Ringed Plovers species Charadrius alexandrinus Snowy plover species Charadrius hiaticula Common ringed plover family Cheloniidae Sea turtles order Chiroptera Bats genus Chlidonias Black Terns species Chlidonias hybrida Whiskered tern species Chlidonias niger Black tern species Chroicocephalus ridibundus Common black-headed gull species Circus aeruginosus Western marsh harrier species Circus cyaneus Northern harrier phylum Cnidaria cnidarians genus Columba Pigeons species Columba livia Common pigeon species Columba oenas Stock dove species Columba palumbus Common wood pigeon species Corvus corone Carrion crow phylum Ctenophora Comb jellies genus Dasyatis Stingrays species Delichon urbicum family Delphinidae Dolphins genus Delphinus Common dolphins species Delphinus delphis Short-beaked common dolphin species Dermochelys coriacea Leatherback sea turtle genus Egretta Plumed egrets species Egretta garzetta Little egret subclass Elasmobranchii Cartilaginous fishes species Emberiza schoeniclus Common reed bunting species Erithacus rubecula European robin superorder Euselachii genus Exocoetus Flyingfishes genus Falco Falcons species Falco columbarius Merlin order Falconiformes Falcons species Falco peregrinus Peregrine falcon species Falco subbuteo Northern hobby species Falco tinnunculus Common kestrel species Fratercula arctica Atlantic puffin species Fringilla coelebs Common chaffinch species Fringilla montifringilla Brambling species Fulica atra Eurasian coot species Fulmarus glacialis Northern fulmar species Gallinago gallinago Common snipe genus Gavia Loons species Gavia arctica Arctic loon species Gavia immer Common loon species Gavia stellata Red-throated loon species Gelochelidon nilotica Gull-billed tern species Globicephala melas Long-finned pilot whale species Grampus griseus Risso's dolphin species Halichoerus grypus Atlantic gray seal genus Hirundo Barn Swallows species Hirundo rustica Barn swallow species Hydrobates pelagicus European storm petrel family Hydrobatidae Storm Petrels species Hydrocoloeus minutus Little gull family Hyperoodontidae Beaked whales species Ichthyaetus melanocephalus Mediterranean gull species Lamna nasus Porbeagle species Lanius collurio Red-backed shrike family Laridae Gulls genus Larus Gulls species Larus argentatus Herring gull species Larus cachinnans Yellow-legged gull species Larus canus Mew gull species Larus fuscus Lesser black-backed gull species Larus hyperboreus Glaucous gull species Larus marinus Great black-backed gull species Larus michahellis Yellow-legged gull species Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed godwit species Linaria cannabina Common linnet class Mammalia Mammals species Megaptera novaeangliae Humpback whale genus Melanitta Scoters species Melanitta nigra Black scoter genus Mesoplodon Beaked whales species Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville's beaked whale species Milvus migrans Black kite species Mobula mobular Giant devil ray species Mola mola Ocean sunfish species Morus bassanus Northern gannet genus Motacilla Wagtails species Motacilla alba White wagtail species Motacilla cinerea Gray wagtail species Motacilla flava Western yellow wagtail species Muscicapa striata Spotted flycatcher genus Numenius Curlews species Numenius arquata Eurasian curlew species Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel species Oceanites oceanicus Wilson's storm petrel species Oceanodroma leucorhoa Leach's storm petrel species Oenanthe oenanthe Northern wheatear species Onychoprion anaethetus Bridled tern species Orcinus orca Killer whale species Oriolus oriolus Eurasian golden oriole superclass Osteichthyes Bony fishes species Otus scops Eurasian scops owl species Parus major Great tit species Passer domesticus House sparrow order Passeriformes Perching birds species Peponocephala electra Melon-headed whale genus Phaethon Tropicbirds genus Phalacrocorax Cormorants species Phalacrocorax aristotelis European Shag species Phalacrocorax carbo Great cormorant species Phalaropus fulicarius Red phalarope species Phoca vitulina Harbor seal family Phocidae Earless seals species Phocoena phocoena Harbor porpoise species Phoenicurus ochruros Black redstart species Phoenicurus phoenicurus Common redstart species Phylloscopus collybita Common chiffchaff species Phylloscopus trochilus Willow warbler species Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale species Platalea leucorodia Eurasian spoonbill genus Pluvialis Golden-Plovers species Pluvialis apricaria European golden plover species Pluvialis squatarola Black-bellied plover species Podiceps cristatus Great crested grebe species Podiceps grisegena Red-necked grebe species Prionace glauca Blue shark family Procellariidae Fulmars / petrels / shearwaters genus Puffinus species Puffinus gravis Great shearwater species Puffinus griseus Sooty shearwater species Puffinus mauretanicus Balearic shearwater species Puffinus puffinus Manx shearwater species Puffinus yelkouan Yelkouan shearwater species Regulus ignicapilla species Regulus regulus Goldcrest species Riparia riparia Bank swallow species Rissa tridactyla Black-legged kittiwake family Scolopacidae Sandpipers subfamily Scombrinae species Somateria mollissima Common eider species Spinus pinus Pine siskin species Stenella coeruleoalba Striped dolphin species Stenella longirostris Spinner dolphin genus Stercorarius Jaegers species Stercorarius longicaudus Long-tailed jaeger species Stercorarius parasiticus Parasitic jaeger species Stercorarius pomarinus Pomarine jaeger species Stercorarius skua Great skua genus Sterna Typical Terns species Sterna dougallii Roseate tern species Sterna hirundo Common tern species Sterna paradisaea Arctic tern species Sternula albifrons Little tern genus Streptopelia Turtle-Doves species Streptopelia decaocto Eurasian collared dove species Streptopelia turtur European turtle dove species Sturnus vulgaris Common starling species Sylvia atricapilla Eurasian blackcap species Sylvia borin Garden warbler species Sylvia communis Common whitethroat species Tadorna tadorna Common shelduck species Thalassarche melanophris Black-browed albatross species Thalasseus sandvicensis Sandwich tern species Thunnus alalunga albacore species Thunnus thynnus Atlantic bluefin tuna genus Tringa Redshanks species Tringa totanus Common redshank species Troglodytes troglodytes Winter wren genus Turdus Robins species Turdus iliacus Redwing species Turdus merula Common blackbird species Turdus philomelos Song thrush species Turdus pilaris Fieldfare species Turdus viscivorus Mistle thrush species Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin species Upupa epops Hoopoe species Uria aalge Common murre species Vanellus vanellus Northern lapwing species Xema sabini Sabine's gull suborder Xiphioidei billfishes species Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier's beaked whale One of the main advantages of this survey lays in its ecosystemic approach, which provides information on all the components of the food web (from planktonic organisms to predators) as well as data on the environmental parameters (sea surface temperature, salinity…). Interactions between prey and predators are complex in marine ecosystems, which are submitted to strong spatio-temporal variations. Thanks to ecosystem-based surveys, observed distributions and densities of marine predators can be related to the occurrence of their prey, providing to scientists and managers a better understanding of the marine ecosystems structure. notPlanned Ghislain Doremus Observatoire Pelagis UMS 3462, University La Rochelle - CNRS Primary contact gdoremus@univ-lr.fr NA NA NA Ghislain Doremus owner Hélène Peltier originator NA zd_1403 2025-07-31T16:47:22-04:00 dataset Doremus, G. and H. Peltier. 2025. Observatoire Pelagis boat surveys 2003-2021. Version 2.1.0. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https://doi.org/10.82144/c7d01c61. OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset Page UTF-8 Interactive map https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1403 FGDC Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1403/fgdc EML Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1403/eml OBIS-SEAMAP zd_1403 zd_1403 Doremus, G. and H. Peltier. 2025. Observatoire Pelagis boat surveys 2003-2021. OBIS-SEAMAP: 1403.