Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
Table A-1. Inventory of the marine mammal and sea turtle data sources included in the marine
resources assessment for the Marianas MRA study area.
DATA SOURCE RECORD DATES
Sea Turtle Assessments
Saipan – Kolinski et al. (1999) 1999
Tinian and Aguijan – Kolinski (2001) 2001
Marine and Fisheries Resource Assessments
Farallon de Medinilla – Trianni (1998, 1999) and DoN (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005) 1997, 1999-2004
Opportunistic Sighting Programs
NMFS Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP) Database 1993-1997
Mark Michael – marine mammal and sea turtle sightings during dive excursions 1999-2004
DoN and Curt Kessler – marine mammal sightings during helicopter flights 2002-2004
Published Literature – Marine Mammal Sighting and Stranding Records
Anonymous 1962
Anonymous 1974
Berggren 1996
Birkeland 1977
Bordallo 1965
Darling and Mori 1993
Davis 1978
Donaldson 1983
Eldredge 1991
Eldredge 2003
Kami and Hosmer 1982
Kami and Lujan 1976
Masaki 1972
Miyazaki and Wada 1978
Randall et al. 1975
Schulz 1980
Taitano 1991
Trianni and Kessler 2002
Wilson et al. 1987
Worth 2003
Opportunistic Sighting Programs
The National Marine Mammal Laboratory's (NMML) Platforms of Opportunity Program (POP)
collects data on opportunistic sightings of marine mammals throughout the world (particularly in the
North Pacific Ocean). These data are used to plan surveys to examine the distribution and
abundance of marine mammal species and to document habitat use in order to minimize the affects
of human-caused disturbances (NMML 2004). POP sighting data are opportunistically collected
aboard NOAA, Navy, and USCG vessels as well as aboard commercial fishing and tourist boats.
While at sea, observers are stationed on the ship’s bridge and asked to record marine mammal
sightings. However, observer effort is entirely dependent upon the observer’s level of interest and
their workload. Detailed biological data such as sex or size of the animal is never collected, yet
observers are encouraged to describe the animal by narrative or sketch. Afterwards, the quality of the
sighting is then graded at the NMML in Seattle, Washington. The NMML will assign a species
identification as either “sure,” “likely,” “unsure” or “not possible.” POP sighting data used in this MRA