10.82144/a2e917eb ccb2ed5f-798e-40fe-8017-95105e59c2f9 https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2066 ad48d3d0-c220-45b5-9775-1e03957ca300 zd_2066 AmyEngelhauptHDR Inc.Primary contact amyengelhaupt@gmail.com DanEngelhauptHDR, Inc.Primary contact Daniel.Engelhaupt@hdrinc.com 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 AmyEngelhauptHDR Inc.Primary contact amyengelhaupt@gmail.com ownerDanEngelhauptHDR, Inc.Primary contact Daniel.Engelhaupt@hdrinc.com owner 2026-02-26 eng Original provider: HDR Environmental, Operations and Construction, Inc. Dataset credits: The U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring Program Abstract: One hundred forty kilometers (km) east of Naval Station Norfolk (NSN), the world’s largest U.S. Navy base, lies the continental shelf break and the Norfolk Canyon – areas known to have considerable cetacean species diversity based on previous broad-scale stock and population survey assessments. These waters also play a vital role in the U.S. Navy’s training and testing operations given their complex bathymetry and proximity to NSN. In 2015, the U.S. Navy initiated a multi-year study to provide a more detailed assessment of species occurrence, diversity, and habitat use in the Norfolk Canyon region, and to examine medium-scale movements and dive behavior of large whales. Since April 2015, thirty-eight vessel surveys using photo-ID, biopsy sampling, and satellite-monitored tagging techniques were conducted. To date, sightings of 15 cetacean species recorded (including sightings over the continental shelf en route to the study area). Priority species encountered were fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris), and Sowerby’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon Bidens). The species most often sighted were pilot whales (Globicephala sp.), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Additional observations of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), striped dolphins (Stenella coereuleoalba), and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) were also recorded. LIMPET-configured satellite-monitored tags (SPOT6 and SPLASH) have been deployed to date on fin whales, sperm whales, and Sowerby’s beaked whales. Preliminary tag results suggest site-fidelity to the Norfolk Canyon by some sperm whales over periods of weeks, while fin whales show a mix of both minimal and extreme movement patterns within and outside of the study area. Future efforts will provide more detail on habitat use in this region. OccurrenceGBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type.xmlObservationGBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml Marine BiologyVisual sightingVACAPES VesselNavy projectMarine Animal SurveyMarine mammalsSea turtlesVisual SightingVessel N/A 2025-11-07: 371 sightings in Mar 2024 ~ Aug 2025 were appended. 2024-10-31: Sightings in Mar ~ Dec 2023 were appended. 2023-11-07: Sightings in Jan ~ Oct 2022 were appended. Survey tracklines (aggregated over time) are available online and included in a downloadable zip file (shapefile format). Additional references <a href="https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/2415/2649/4756/Engelhaupt_et_al._2018_-_VACAPES_Offshore_Cetacean_Study_2017_-_Final.pdf" target="_blank">Engelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, and D. Engelhaupt. 2018. VACAPES Outer Continental Shelf Cetacean Study, Virginia Beach, Virginia: 2017 Annual Progress Report. Prepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-15-8006, Task Order 35, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. May 2018.</a> <a href="https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/files/3815/0464/6883/Engelhaupt_et_al._2017_-_VACAPES_Offshore_Cetacean_Study_2016_-_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">Engelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, and D. Engelhaupt. 2017. VACAPES Outer Continental Shelf Cetacean Study, Virginia Beach, Virginia: 2016 Annual Progress Report. Prepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract Nos. N62470-10-3011, Task Orders 03 and 54, and N62470-15-8006, Task Order 5, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virgina.</a> This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License. https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2066 North Atlantic -75.8866222 37.431587 37.431587 36.1960288 2015-04-12 2025-08-28 Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). genusBalaenopteraBaleen whales speciesBalaenoptera acutorostrataCommon minke whale speciesBalaenoptera borealisSei whale speciesBalaenoptera musculusBlue whale speciesBalaenoptera physalusFin whale speciesCaretta carettaLoggerhead sea turtle orderCetaceaCetaceans familyCheloniidaeSea turtles superfamilyChelonioidea familyDelphinidaeDolphins speciesDelphinus delphisShort-beaked common dolphin speciesDermochelys coriaceaLeatherback sea turtle speciesEubalaena glacialisNorth Atlantic right whale genusGlobicephalaPilot whales speciesGlobicephala macrorhynchusShort-finned pilot whale speciesGlobicephala melasLong-finned pilot whale speciesGrampus griseusRisso's dolphin speciesKogia brevicepsPygmy sperm whale speciesKogia simaDwarf sperm whale speciesMegaptera novaeangliaeHumpback whale genusMesoplodonBeaked whales speciesMesoplodon bidensSowerby's beaked whale speciesMesoplodon mirusTrue's beaked whale suborderOdontocetiToothed whales speciesPhocoena phocoenaHarbor porpoise speciesPhyseter macrocephalusSperm whale speciesStenella attenuataPantropical spotted dolphin speciesStenella coeruleoalbaStriped dolphin speciesStenella frontalisAtlantic spotted dolphin speciesTursiops truncatusCommon bottlenose dolphin speciesZiphius cavirostrisCuvier's beaked whale The goals of this effort focus on addressing fundamental information gaps related to marine mammal occurrence, exposure, and response as identified the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Comprehensive Monitoring Program (DoN 2010) and the follow-up Scientific Advisory Group review (DoN 2011). In order to address these gaps for offshore waters in the VACAPES OPAREA, a combination of techniques are being used, including: (1) photo-ID and behavioral data collection to provide baseline assessments of animal movement patterns, site fidelity, habitat use, life history, and behavior; (2) biopsy sampling for incorporation into existing genetic studies (where opportunities exist) to identify individuals, determine foraging patterns, and assist in delineating stock boundaries; and (3) satellite-linked tagging techniques to provide information on residency patterns and habitat use across intermediate time scales (weeks to months). Residency and movement patterns are of particular interest given the potential for repeated exposure to U.S. Navy training and testing activities known to occur within the area. Although supporting information is limited, preliminary findings from work conducted off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the south suggest a year-round presence of several species of cetaceans near the continental shelf break (Baird et al. 2016, Foley et al. 2016). Tagging efforts will provide longer-term movement patterns to identify extent of overlap with offshore training and testing activities conducted within the VACAPES OPAREA. Given the duration of the tag attachments and experience from previous tagging studies in waters off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, we would expect the potential to track tagged animals to OPAREAS outside of VACAPES, including the Cherry Point OPAREA to the south and the Atlantic City OPAREA to the north. Taking into consideration the multiple intermediate scientific objectives in the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Planning Process (DoN 2013b), the goals of this study are to assist the U.S. Navy and regulatory agencies with environmental planning and compliance by addressing the following questions: Which cetacean species occur over the outer continental shelf to the east of NSN, and how does occurrence fluctuate seasonally? What are the baseline behaviors and ecological relationships of offshore cetaceans within the study area? Do individual cetaceans exhibit site fidelity within specific regions of the study area over periods of weeks, months, or years? What is the seasonal extent of cetacean movements within and around U.S. Navy VACAPES training range boxes? Do cetaceans spend significant time within or primarily move through areas of U.S. Navy live-fire or Anti-Submarine Warfare training events? For additional information on this project as well as access to reports and publications, please visit the project profile on the U.S. Navy’s Marine Species monitoring portal: <a href="https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/reading-room/project-profiles/mid-atlantic-offshore-cetacean-study/" target="_blank">https://www.navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us/reading-room/project-profiles/mid-atlantic-offshore-cetacean-study/</a> notPlanned AmyEngelhauptHDR Inc.Primary contact amyengelhaupt@gmail.com DanEngelhauptHDR, Inc.Primary contact Daniel.Engelhaupt@hdrinc.com NA NA NA AmyEngelhauptownerDanEngelhauptowner The U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring Program 2026-02-26T10:59:52-05:00 dataset Engelhaupt, A. and D. Engelhaupt. 2024. VACAPES Offshore Study Area Observations. Version 1.1.0. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https://doi.org/10.82144/a2e917eb. Engelhaupt, A., J.M. Aschettino, D. Engelhaupt, M. Richlen, and M. Cotter. 2021. VACAPES Outer Continental Shelf Cetacean Study, Virginia Beach, Virginia: 2020 Annual Progress Report. Prepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-15-8006, Task Order 19F4068, issued to HDR Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. February 2021 OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset Page UTF-8 Interactive map https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2066 FGDC Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2066/fgdc EML Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2066/eml OBIS-SEAMAP zd_2066 zd_2066