Mallette S. and Barco, S.2017Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2212) The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation, Inc. (VAQF) is tasked to conduct aerial surveys for the continental shelf region off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay within the Virginia Capes Operating Area (VACAPES OPAREA) to provide marine species monitoring services. In 2007, a multi-institutional project utilizing multiple platforms (i.e., aerial, vessel, and passive acoustic monitoring) aimed at protected species monitoring off the East Coast of the United States commenced. The current survey will complement existing United States (U.S.) Navy marine species monitoring efforts (Aerial Survey Baseline Monitoring- Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing) and supports environmental planning and regulatory compliance along the East Coast of the United States. This project represents the first year of U.S. Department of the Navy-funded aerial survey efforts off Virginia Beach, Virginia. These surveys build upon previous survey efforts funded by Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program to document large whale occurrence in the vicinity of the Virginia Wind Energy Area (VA WEA) and contribute to regional mid-Atlantic ocean planning efforts. VAQF in collaboration with University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) conducted line-transect aerial surveys from 2012 through 2017, although surveys were not flown every month or with consistent effort between years (Mallette et al. 2014, 2016). The goal of the current aerial survey project is to complement existing monitoring projects and contribute baseline protected species occurrence data, including species distribution; abundance; density estimates; and seasonal habitat usage. The survey site includes an approximately 6,500-square-kilometer area off the coast of Virginia extending from the southern portion of the eastern shore of Virginia to the North Carolina/Virginia state border. The aerial survey design was established based upon advisements from the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modeling (CREEM) at the University of St. Andrews and objectives identified by the U.S. Navy. VAQF conducted fixed-wing aerial line-transect surveys, using previously established distance-sampling protocols, to document the occurrence of marine mammals and sea turtles. VAQF worked closely with the UNCW to maintain consistency among the safety, flight, and data-reporting protocols for Hatteras/Onslow/JAX baseline monitoring projects (McAlarney et al. 2013, 2015). The current report describes monitoring activities that occurred between January 2017 and June 2017. Between the months of January and June 2017, 12 sightings of 14 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were recorded within the "VAQ on-shelf" survey area off the coast of Virginia. No other baleen whale species were recorded during the NAVFAC funded "VAQ on-shelf" aerial surveys during this period. Sightings of whales were documented over four survey days between January and June 2017: 11 January (5 sightings of 5 whales), 12 January (3 sightings of 3 whales), 21 February (1 sighting of 2 whales) and 24 February (3 sightings of 4 whales).n/aThis data was created and submitted to the U.S. Department of the Navy on aerial surveys conducted along the continental shelf off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia, from January to June 2017. To build upon the existing dataset in the proximity of the VA WEA, previously established transect lines were modified based upon recommendations from CREEM and discussions with UNCW and the Navy to manage overlap between the coastal (VAQF) and Norfolk Canyon Survey Area offshore (UNCW) survey areas. Static map of effort (tracklines) are visible on the OBIS-SEAMAP web site but not included in the download.2017011120170622ground conditionCompleteNone plannedNorth Atlantic-76.042144-75.0460237.32923836.54447 NoneVACAPES AerialMarine Animal SurveyMarine BiologyMarine mammalsVisual SightingAircraftNoneNorth AtlanticVirginiaTaxon coveredMarine mammalsSea turtlesRays and sharksIntegrated Taxonomic Information SystemUnknownNot applicableDownloaded April, 2004http://www.itis.usda.gov/Refer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetmailing and physical address

Refer to the contact information of the dataset

Refer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetRefer to the contact information of the datasetNot providedIdentified by observers or researchers conducting the surveyKingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataSubphylumVertebrataClassReptiliaOrderTestudinesSuborderCryptodiraSuperfamilyChelonioideaFamilyCheloniidaeSubfamilyCarettinaeGenusCarettaSpeciesCaretta carettaFamilyDermochelyidaeGenusDermochelysSpeciesDermochelys coriaceaClassMammaliaSubclassTheriaInfraclassEutheriaOrderCetaceaSuborderOdontocetiFamilyDelphinidaeGenusDelphinusSpeciesDelphinus delphisGenusTursiopsSpeciesTursiops truncatusSuborderMysticetiFamilyBalaenopteridaeGenusMegapteraSpeciesMegaptera novaeangliaeClassChondrichthyesSubclassElasmobranchiiSuperorderEuselachiiOrderMyliobatiformesFamilyMobulidaeGenusMantaSpeciesManta birostrisFamilyRhinopteridaeGenusRhinopteraSpeciesRhinoptera bonasus Open public unless otherwise noted. See Use Constraints for details. 1. Not to use data obtained from OBIS-SEAMAP in any publication, product, or commercial application without proper attribution to the original data provider(s) and OBIS-SEAMAP unless the datasets are explicitly shown under the CC0 policy. Citations or credits are suggested as attribution. If the data you downloaded come from multiple datasets, a citation or credit to each of the datasets is required. Suggested citation for this dataset: Suggested citation for OBIS-SEAMAP: Halpin, P.N., A.J. Read, E. Fujioka, B.D. Best, B. Donnelly, L.J. Hazen, C. Kot, K. Urian, E. LaBrecque, A. Dimatteo, J. Cleary, C. Good, L.B. Crowder, and K.D. Hyrenbach. 2009. OBIS-SEAMAP: The world data center for marine mammal, sea bird, and sea turtle distributions. Oceanography 22(2):104-115 2. To forward the citation of any publication / report that made use of the data / tools provided by OBIS-SEAMAP for inclusion in our list of references. 3. Not to hold OBIS-SEAMAP or the original data providers liable for errors in the data. While we have made every effort to ensure the quality of the database, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these datasets. 4. The burden for determining fitness for use of the downloaded data for any analyses lies entirely with the user. OBIS-SEAMAP or the original data providers do not support outcomes of your analyses that used the data you downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP. 5. To consider inclusion of the accompanying transect (effort) dataset if available into the methodology of your analyses. 6. Not to redistribute the data you downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP through any media without contect from OBIS-SEAMAP and the original data providers unless the datasets are explicitly shown under the CC0 policy. Sarah Mallette; Jackie Bort Thorntonn/a; Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic mailing and physical address

n/a; 6506 Hampton Blvd

Virginia Beach ; NorfolkVA/NC; VA23451; 23508n/a; USA 757-385-6484; 757-322-4769sarahmallette@yahoo.com; jacqueline.bort@navy.mil Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Foundation Relational database Mallette S. and Barco, S.2017vector digital dataData downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2212)Bort Thornton, J. and S. Mallette2022Version 1.0.0vector digital dataOBIS-SEAMAP2212https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/2212OBIS-SEAMAPhttps://doi.org/10.82144/a8dfd47fHalpin, P.N., A.J. Read, E. Fujioka, B.D. Best, B. Donnelly, L.J. Hazen, C. Kot, K. Urian, E. LaBrecque, A. Dimatteo, J. Cleary, C. Good, L.B. Crowder, and K.D. Hyrenbach2009Oceanography22(2):104-115 All attributes were measured and recorded during the survey and validated by the data provider. Permissible values for date and time and coordinates were validated by the data provider and the OBIS-SEAMAP data manager. Species identification by the data provider was matched with Integrated Taxonomic Information System. All observation records are included.Data were put through the OBIS-SEAMAP data registration steps.20220930Point 1e-061e-06Decimal degrees D_WGS_1984WGS_1984 6378137.000000298.257224 Biogeographic dataBiogeographic dataNot applicableoidUnique ID number (generated by OBIS-SEAMAP)Data providerUnique ID number (generated by OBIS-SEAMAP)dateDate of the sightingData provider2017-01-112017-06-22timeTime of the sighting at local time zoneData provider09:12:4516:52:19way_pointWay pointData provider2236latitudeLatitude in decimal degreesData provider36.544470037.3292380longitudeLongitude in decimal degreesData provider-76.0421440-75.0460200eventOn or off eventData providerOn or off eventheadingHeadingData providerHeadingtrack_numberTrack numberData providerTrack numberobserverObserverData providerObservervizabilityVisibilityData provider13bssBaufort Sea StateData provider14cloudCloud coverData providerglare_lGlare at the left sideData providerGlare at the left sideglare_rGlare at the right sideData providerGlare at the right sideangle_outAngle outData provider04degree_forwardDegree forwardData provider15150sighting_cueSighting cueData provider13speciesScientific nameData providerScientific namesp_tsnTaxonomic Serial Number added by OBIS-SEAMAPData provider159785948946reliabilityReliabilityData provider12min_countMinimum countData provider1100max_countMaximum countData provider1200best_countBest CountData provider1150commentsCommentsData providerCommentssighting_distanceSighting distanceData providerSighting distancegeomGeometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAPData providerGeometry field added by OBIS-SEAMAPThis section explains attributes included in the original dataset. OBIS-SEAMAP restricts the attributes available to the public to date/time, lat/lon and species names/counts only. Should you need other attributes described here, you are encouraged to contact the data provider.Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Foundation Nicholas School of Environment, Duke Univ. OBIS-SEAMAP mailing and physical address

A328, LSRC

DurhamNC27708USA 919-613-8021 seamap-contact@duke.edu OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset ID 2212Not to hold OBIS-SEAMAP liable for errors in the data. While we have made every effort to ensure the quality of the database, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these datasets. Also please refer to Use Constraints. CSV and ESRI shapefile OBIS-SEAMAP Free Go to the OBIS-SEAMAP web site. 2025091120250911 Ei Fujioka Nicholas School, Duke Universitymailing and physical address

A328, LSRC

DurhamNC27708USA 919-613-8021 seamap-contact@duke.edu FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial MetadataFGDC-STD-001-1998local time http://www.nbii.gov/Biological Data Profile