Digital Aerial Baseline Survey of Marine Wildlife in Support of Offshore Wind Energy - OPA 2018

Keywords: Occurrence, Observation, Occurrence,Marine Animal Survey,Marine Biology,Seabirds,Marine mammals,Sea turtles,Visual Sighting,Aircraft
Temporal coverage: 2018/2019

Original provider:
NYSERDA, APEM, Normandeau Associates

Dataset credits:
NYSERDA, Normandeau Associates Inc., APEM Ltd.

Abstract:
In support of New York State’s commitment to incorporating offshore 
wind into its energy portfolio, the New York State Energy Research and 
Development Authority (NYSERDA) embarked on a multi-year ultra-
high resolution aerial digital survey of marine resources in a 43,745.20 
km2 (12,754.06 mi2) offshore planning area (OPA) in 2016. The OPA 
encompasses the waters of the New York Bight from Long Island 
southeast to the continental shelf break. Surveys are conducted on a 
quarterly basis, timed to coincide with periods of abundance of avian 
and marine species that could be vulnerable to impacts from offshore 
wind activities. Each survey collected images covering at least 7% of 
the OPA. 

For each survey, approximately 300,000 images were collected within 
the OPA using a transect design. During the first survey year, special 
attention was also paid to the wind energy area (WEA) using a more 
detailed grid survey design, collecting around 100,000 images. Each 
survey collected images covering at least 10% of the WEA. WEA survey 
data are in a separate dataset.There was some variation in sampling 
effort among surveys as a different camera system that captured a 
larger footprint was used after the Summer 2016 survey.YR3 consists 
of Survey09 Summer2018, Survey10 Fall2018, Survey11 Winter2018-
19, Survey12 Spring2019.

Purpose:
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority 
(NYSERDA) contracted with Normandeau Associates Inc. 
(Normandeau) and teaming partner APEM Inc. (APEM) to use high 
resolution aerial digital imagery to collect data on birds, marine 
mammals, sea turtles, cartilaginous fish, and other taxa encountered 
offshore. 

Surveys are conducted four times a year over three years. The surveys 
have been designed in light of available historical data and use the 
latest digital and sensor technology to provide high identification 
success. 

Survey results for birds, marine mammals, turtles, and cartilaginous 
fish are presented in semiannual reports, which will cumulatively 
provide insight into interseasonal and interannual variation in species 
composition, densities, and distributions. Reports are available at 
https://remote.normandeau.com/nys_docs.php.

Supplemental information:
[2022-06-07] The following recorded species names got their assigned scientific names corrected.
GANNET: Morus =&gt; Sulidae
BLACK SCOTER: Pluvialis squatarola =&gt; Melanitta nigra
BLACK TERN: Pterodroma hasitata =&gt; Chlidonias niger
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER: Rissa tridactyla =&gt; Pluvialis squatarola
BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: Melanitta nigra =&gt; Pterodroma hasitata
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE: Chlidonias niger =&gt; Rissa tridactyla
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE: Cheloniidae =&gt; Caretta caretta
LOGGERHEAD/KEMP'S TURTLE: Caretta caretta =&gt; Cheloniidae
RED PHALAROPE: Mergus serrator =&gt; Phalaropus fulicarius
RED/RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: Phalaropus lobatus =&gt; Phalaropus
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: Phalaropus fulicarius =&gt; Mergus serrator
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: Phalaropus =&gt; Phalaropus lobatus

Transect area is calculated based on the planned aircraft altitude and 
assumed to be a consistent value. Actual coverage of the area may 
vary due to fluctuations in the aircraft altitude during the survey. This 
may result in target observation points being displayed outside the 
transect area.

Tracklines are viewable online as a static layer.

The data in 2016 is available at
http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1817
http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1818

The data in 2017 is available at
http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/1994