Erin Seney and Andre Landry, Sea Turtle & Fisheries Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at GalvestonThe Kemp's ridley sea turtle <i>Lepidochelys kempii</i> is recovering from declines that reduced nesting from a single-day estimate of 10000 to 40000 females in 1947 to <300 during the entire 1985 nesting season. Although beach monitoring is crucial to estimating nesting population size and activity, in-water data are essential for understanding population dynamics, evaluating management strategies, and ensuring the species’ continued recovery. Fifteen immature and 7 adult female ridleys were fitted with platform terminal transmitters and released off the upper Texas coast during 2004 through 2007. Immature individuals were tracked primarily during warmer months and exhibited preferences for tidal passes, bays, coastal lakes, and nearshore waters, although movement patterns varied among years. Females tracked during their inter-­nesting intervals remained in the vicinity of the upper Texas coast and, upon entering the post-nesting stage, moved eastward along the 20 m isobath to foraging areas offshore of central Louisiana. Satellite telemetry indicated that inshore and continental shelf waters of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico serve as developmental, migratory, inter-nesting, and post-nesting habitat for the Kemp’s ridley. Projected population growth will likely lead to increased use of the northwestern Gulf by the species and more frequent encounters with human activities. The extent of such anthropogenic interactions and need for mitigation measures should be examined and considered by natural resource managers to facilitate continued recovery of this and other sea turtle species in the Gulf of Mexico. Likewise, research efforts should be continued to better understand seasonal in-water distributions, abundances, population dynamics, and mortality risks to all life history stages.The following research objectives were identified:<br/> (1) to characterize movements of benthic-stage im mature and adult female Kemp’s ridleys in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico; and<br/> (2) to identify Kemp's ridley migration patterns and foraging grounds in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.Erin Seney and Andre Landry, Texas A&M2013-05-31 17:15:31seamap960vector digital datahttps://doi.org/10.82144/8ea8f089Version 1.0.0OBIS-SEAMAPhttp://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/960OBIS-SEAMAPground condition2004-09-212007-09-17CompleteNone planned-96.54-90.34630.0528.267-96.54-90.34630.0528.267PlatformRadio transmittersAnimal movementsUser definedOpen public unless otherwise noted.The datasets should be used with the corresponding transects dataset. Not to use data contained in OBIS-SEAMAP in any publication, product, or commercial application without prior written consent of the original data provider. To cite both the data provider and OBIS-SEAMAP appropriately after approval of use is obtained. Also please refer to Distribution Liability.ShapefileSeney, E.E. and A.M. Landry2011http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v440/p241-254/Marine Ecology Progress Series440:241-254Seney, E.E. and A.M. Landry2008http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v4/n1-2/p73-84/Endangered Species Research4:73-84Erin SeneyErin Seney Consulting, LLCmailing and physical address

WoodbridgeVirginiaeeseney@gmail.comIntegrated Taxonomic Information Systemhttp://www.itis.usda.gov/Downloaded April, 2004Refer to the contact information of the datasetOBIS-SEAMAPNicholas School of Environment, Duke Univ.mailing and physical address

A328, LSRC

DurhamNC27708USA919-613-8021seamap-contact@duke.eduNot 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.Connie KotDuke Universitymailing and physical address

A328, LSRC

DurhamNC27708USA919-613-8021seamap-contact@duke.eduhttp://www.nbii.gov/Biological Data Profile2013-05-312013-06-26Erin Seney and Andre Landry, Texas A&MThe dataset contains information necessary to locate the species sightings observed in the survey. The structure of the dataset was defined by NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Note that the dataset is a subset of the larger, complete dataset collected in the survey which includes environmental information. The columns before LineNo are applied to the shapefile only. The following information is not included in the dataset but will be found in the master data. For details, please contact NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Track; Speed; GPS Status; Observers; Wind direction; Weather; Sea state; Swell; Visibility; Turbidity; Sunlight; Water depth; Water color; Water temperature; Sighting angle; Effort status.oidOriginal ID (created by OBIS-SEAMAP)tag_idPTT#datetime1Original date/timedatetime2Formatted date/timeobs_dateDate of observationobs_timeTime of observationsp_tsnSpecies ITIS TSNsp_obsSpecies observedlatitudeLatitude of first positionlongitudeLongitude of first positionlat2Latitude of second positionlon2Longitude of second positionlcLocation classiqQuality indicatorsexSex of animalage_classAge class of animal (adult or juvenile)body_sizeSCL (in cm)countryCountry animal was taggedbeach_nameBeach name animal was taggednotesNotes on animalcite1Citation 1cite2Citation 2GCS_WGS_1984Decimal degrees0.0001670.000167D_WGS_1984WGS_19846378137.000000298.257224