https://doi.org/10.82144/4427f2df https://www.gbif.org/dataset/e6c39fbc-2583-43a9-8e44-11a32b0a213b https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2018 https://obis.org/dataset/055979c2-93f2-4fb8-a497-45bb267521f2 Marijke de Boer Wageningen Marine Research, University of Wageningen Primary contact marijkedeboer@hotmail.com OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

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seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu distributor Marijke de Boer Wageningen Marine Research, University of Wageningen Primary contact marijkedeboer@hotmail.com owner 2025-09-11 eng Original provider: Marijke de Boer Dataset credits: Marijke N. de Boer Abstract: Within the Gulf of Guinea the information on the cetacean abundance and distribution is scarce. A cetacean survey took place during geophysical surveys (2013–2014) along the coasts of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Due to large group-sizes, melon-headed whales were the most abundant (0.34 animals km−1) followed by Fraser’s dolphins and short-finned pilot whales. Range state records were confirmed for melon-headed whale and Fraser’s dolphin in Ivoirian waters and ten further species represented first at-sea sightings. Fraser’s dolphins, melon-headed whales, pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and pilot whales were recorded in areas with the highest fishing densities. Melon-headed whales, pilot whales, and rough-toothed dolphins were observed in vicinity of trawlers; bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, and pilot whales in vicinity of canoes. The poor knowledge on population trends of cetaceans in this unique upwelling region, together with a high demand for cetacean products for human consumption (as “marine bushmeat”) may lead to a potential decline of some species that may go unnoticed. These new insights can provide a foundation for the urgently required risk assessments of cetacean mortality in fisheries within the northern Gulf of Guinea. 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 Marine mammals Visual Sighting Vessel N/A Information regarding location of fishing vessels is available 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/2018 Oceans,Ghana,Ivorycoast -3.43817 -1.84533 4.87267 3.5995 2013-04-18 2014-05-24 Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). genus Balaenoptera Baleen whales species Balaenoptera brydei Bryde's whale order Cetacea Cetaceans family Delphinidae Dolphins genus Delphinus Common dolphins species Globicephala macrorhynchus Short-finned pilot whale species Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser's dolphin species Peponocephala electra Melon-headed whale species Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale genus Stenella Spinner dolphins species Stenella attenuata Pantropical spotted dolphin species Stenella clymene Clymene dolphin species Stenella longirostris Spinner dolphin species Steno bredanensis Rough-toothed dolphin species Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin The objective of this study was to gather new information on the poorly monitored local cetacean populations in order to understand the threat posed by interactions with fisheries either due to unintended bycatch (entanglement) or direct capture. The information presented provides a valuable insight into the occurrence, relative abundance, and at-sea distribution of cetaceans and an indication as to which cetacean species appear to be under the greatest fishing pressure. As such, these findings provide new directions for future assessments of fishing pressure on cetaceans through incidental catches and directed takes. notPlanned Marijke de Boer Wageningen Marine Research, University of Wageningen Primary contact marijkedeboer@hotmail.com NA NA NA Marijke de Boer owner NA zd_2018 2025-09-11T15:45:36-04:00 dataset de Boer, M. 2019. Cetacean sightings in Ghana and Ivorycoast. Version 1.0.0. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https://doi.org/10.82144/4427f2df. De Boer MN, Saulino JT, Van Waerebeek K and Aarts G. 2016. Under Pressure: Cetaceans and Fisheries Co-occurrence off the Coasts of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire (Gulf of Guinea). Frontiers in Marine Science3:178. OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset Page UTF-8 Interactive map https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2018 FGDC Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2018/fgdc EML Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2018/eml OBIS-SEAMAP zd_2018 zd_2018