DISL-Carmichael-ALMMSN-002-2020
English
DISL Data Management
Data Management Specialist
101 Bienville Boulevard
Dauphin Island
AL
36528
metadata@disl.org
2020-10-15
ISO 19115:2003/19139
1.0
Strandings of Marine Mammals in Alabama 1978-2020
2020-10-15
This dataset contains information about marine mammal strandings documented in Alabama waters between 1978 and 2020. Data include identity, size, condition, sex, and location where the animal was found.
Collection and dissemination of high quality data from stranding events throughout the range is essential for informing management and conservation of bottlenose dolphin and other marine mammals. The primary goal of the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network, established on May 1 2011, is to enhance reporting and response effort for marine mammal strandings in Alabama waters by reducing response time and improving data quality and consistency. The network provides a unified reporting and data management outlet, and a high level of quality assurance and control for data collection. ALMMSN makes data available to end-users, provides long-term data storage and retrieval capacity, and supports training for local personnel to build an enduring and sustainable network.
DISL: Marine Organism and Ecosystem Response Lab
Courtney Nelson
Ruth Carmichael
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
251-861-2141 x7555
101 Bienville Boulevard
Dauphin Island
Alabama
36528
rcarmichael@disl.org
Mackenzie Russell
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
251-861-2141 x7547
101 Bienville Boulevard
Dauphin Island
Alabama
36528
mrussell@disl.org
dolphins
whales
strandings
marine mammals
cetaceans
citizen science
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
DISL
Alabama
Gulf of Mexico
Mobile Bay
Mississippi Sound
Perdido Bay
Acknowledgment of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The John H. Prescott Award, the Northern Gulf Institute, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency is required in products developed from these data, and such acknowledgment as is standard for citation and legal practices for data source is expected by users of these data. Users should be aware that comparison with other data sets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in mapping conventions, data collection, and computer processes over time. The distributor shall not be liable for improper or incorrect use of these data, based on the description of appropriate/inappropriate uses described in the metadata document. These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such.
English
biota
inlandWaters
oceans
1978-01-01
2020-10-01
The area of coverage is from the Alabama/Florida state line to the Alabama/Mississippi state line. This area encompasses all islands, lagoons, bays, tributaries, estuaries and byways, in addition to the 450 square mile Mobile Bay.
-88.35
-87.0
29.35
33.3667
true
DISL's Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network data by year
Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network - Feature Catalogue
2020-10-15
http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0117461
NOAA NCEI Ocean Archive System
http://almmsn.disl.org/
DISL: Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Data collection relies on the observations of the public of Mobile and Baldwin Counties. All marine mammal strandings were reported by the public to stranding networks local or near-local to Alabama. No reported strandings from Alabama waters are excluded from the data set. The data set is checked for duplicate or incomplete reports, and new strandings are periodically added to the database when they can be fully documented. Latitude and Longitude coordinates, in most cases, were actual coordinates. In some cases, where actual coordinates were not obtained, then best estimates were determined by internet or map. Reported stranding times may represent a near time of day rather than a precise sighting time. All attribute values are provided by stranding network responders and are documentations of their observations. All strandings were subsequently reported to the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA.
The Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network (ALMMSN) is a cooperative regional stranding network partner which works with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to respond to dolphin and whale strandings in Alabama, and with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to respond to manatee strandings in Alabama and Mississippi. When needed, ALMMSN provides aid to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in the Florida panhandle for manatee strandings, and the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) in the FL panhandle and Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) in Gulfport MS for dolphin and whale strandings. Conversely, ECWR and IMMS provide aid to ALMMSN for dolphin and whale strandings when needed.
Data on marine mammal strandings in Alabama from 1978-2011 were compiled from the NOAA-NMFS Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program national database (https://mmhsrp.nmfs.noaa.gov/mmhsrp/). Before the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network (ALMMSN) was established in May 2011, response to marine mammal strandings in Alabama was variable, and methodology used is largely unknown. | Springhill College was the primary responding agency for marine mammal stranding events in AL from 1987-2007. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) field station at Pascagoula, MS provided mutual support over the two decades of response efforts. There was an average of moderate coverage during this time. | In 2008, there was no dedicated stranding authority in Alabama and response efforts were limited. Only three strandings were responded to by a small network of volunteers known as Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network (AMMSN). | In 2009, there was no dedicated stranding authority in Alabama, but a number of organizations responded to provide moderate coverage: Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) and NMFS Pascagoula in Mississippi, Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network (AMMSN), and Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (ECWR) in Florida. | In 2010, the primary stranding responder in Alabama was IMMS. NMFS Pascagoula and ECWR provided mutual aid.
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network (ALMMSN) was officially established in May 2011, but began responding to reports in January 2011. Strandings between January and April 2011 were handled in collaboration with IMMS. The details of each stranding since May 2011 are reported to researchers at DISL's ALMMSN either via phone, email, or word of mouth. Each call is directed to a 24-hr emergency hotline number that is monitored 24/7 by ALMMSN staff members. Calls to this hotline are answered immediately or returned within 1 hr of call. In most cases, ALMMSN responders are able to respond to strandings within 24 hours of stranding report. Each witness is asked the same series of specific questions to obtain the necessary data to allow for proper response.
Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network - Feature Catalogue
Marine mammal stranding data in Alabama since 1978, as collected and/or compiled by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
1.0
2020-10-15
Data Management Specialist
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
101 Bienville Boulevard
Dauphin Island
Alabama
36528
metadata@disl.org
DISL's Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network data by year
Stranding data are organized by year in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
false
Organization
The organization or individual to whom the stranding event was reported.
DISL
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
ADCNR
Alabama Department of Coastal Natural Resources
Gulfarium
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, Florida
NMFS
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama
AL ST VET LAB
Alabama State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The main laboratory is in Auburn, AL.
Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network
AMMSN
A small network of volunteers that existed before DISL's ALMMSN, and is not related to DISL's ALMMSN.
ECWR
Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Florida
IMMS
Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Unknown
Responding network or individual that made the report is not known.
Year
The year of the reported stranding event.
Report Date or Observation Date
Date that the stranding was observed or reported to stranding networks local or near-local to Alabama.
Field Response Date
Date that stranding network initiated response. A value of "NR" means "no response."
State
The U.S. state where the stranding occurred.
AL
Alabama
Latitude
Latitude of the location of the stranding in decimal degrees.
Longitude
Longitude of the location of the stranding in decimal degrees.
Waterbody
Main waterway of stranding.
Bon Secour Bay
Bon Secour Bay, located southeast of Mobile Bay, Alabama.
Gulf of Mexico
The northern part of the Gulf of Mexico outside Mobile Bay.
Mississippi Sound
Mississippi Sound, located southwest of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Sometimes abbreviated MS Sound.
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay, Alabama
Perdido Bay
Perdido Bay is along the Alabama-Florida border.
Dog River
Dog River, Mobile County, Alabama. The Dog River watershed drains 90 square miles of the upper west bank of Mobile Bay, including Mobile and Tillman's Corner.
Fowl River
Fowl River, Mobile County, Alabama. It originates near Theodore and splits into the East Fowl River and the West Fowl River. The East Fowl River discharges into Mobile Bay south of Belle Fontaine. The West Fowl River discharges into the Mississippi Sound east of Coden. Most of the watershed is near Bellingrath Gardens.
Grand Bay
Grand Bay, Alabama, is in Mississippi Sound.
ICW
Intercoastal Waterway
Weeks Bay
A small bay southeast of Mobile Bay, Alabama. It empties into Bon Secour.
Wolf Bay
Wolf Bay, Baldwin County, Alabama, is west of Perdido Bay and east of Bon Secour.
Unknown
Location unknown.
Arnica Bay
Arnica Bay, Baldwin County, Alabama, is near the mouth of Perdido Bay along the Alabama/Florida border.
Coden Bayou
Coden Bayou near Coden, Alabama (southeast of Bayou La Batre) within Mississippi Sound.
Bayou St. John
Bayou St. John is at the southwest end of Perdido Bay, near the Alabama-Florida border.
Bayou La Batre
Bayou La Batre, Alabama, which empties into Mississippi Sound.
Bayou La Launch
A bayou between Wolf Bay and Arnica Bay near the Alabama-Florida border.
Bon Secour River
Bon Secour River is just north of Oyster Bay. It empties into Bon Secour Bay.
Magnolia River
The southern of the two rivers that empty into Weeks Bay.
Old River
Old River runs north of Perdido Key State Park, south of Ono Island, near the Alabama-Florida border.
Oyster Bay
A small bay east of Bon Secour Bay and north of Little Lagoon, near Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Perdido Pass
The mouth of the Perdido River where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. It is between Alabama Point and Florida Point.
Portersville Bay
Portersville Bay is in Mississippi Sound.
Roberts Bayou
Roberts Bayou is north of Arnica Bay in Josephine, Alabama, near the Florida border.
Pirates Cove
A restaurant overlooking Arnica Bay in Josephine, Alabama, near the Florida border.
Delta
Mobile-Tensaw Delta at the north end of Mobile Bay, Alabama.
Sandy Bay
A small bay in Mississippi Sound at the east end of Grand Bay.
Pelican Bay
Pelican Bay is at the mouth of Mobile Bay, between Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan, Alabama.
Indian Bay
A small bay on the north side of the east end of Dauphin Island, near the causeway.
St. Andrews Bay
A small bay on the north side of the west end of Fort Morgan peninsula.
Terry Cove
A cove to the north of Perdido Pass near the Alabama-Florida border, to the west of Bayou St. John.
Bayou Bubie
A bayou in Grand Bay, Mississippi Sound, west of Point Caddy and northwest of Marsh Island.
Common Name
The common name of the stranded animal. If identity could not be determined to species, description is to the level to which the remains could be identified.
Dolphin, pantropical spotted
Dolphin, Atlantic spotted
Dolphin, spinner
Dolphin, Bottlenose
Whale, unidentified Kogia
unidentified whale of genus Kogia
Dolphin, unidentified Stenelline
unidentified dolphin of genus Stenella
Dolphin, unidentified
dolphin that could not be identified to genus
Dolphin, Rough-Toothed
Dolphin, Striped
Whale, Balinesville Beaked
Whale, Pygmy Killer
Unknown Delphinid / Unidentified Delphinid
delphinid that could not be identified
Whale, False Killer
Whale, Gervais' Beaked
Whale, melon head
Genus
In standard Latin binomial nomenclature, the genus of the animal.
Tursiops
Stenella
Kogia
Steno
Mesoplodon
Feresa
Pseudorca
Peponocephala
unknown
Genus was not identifiable. Sometimes abbreviated UNK.
Species
In standard Latin binomial nomenclature, the species of the animal.
attenuata
Stenella attenuata, or Feresa attenuata
frontalis
Stenella frontalis
longirostris
Stenella longirostris
truncatus
Tursiops truncatus
bredanensis
Steno bredanensis
coeruleoalba
Stenella coeruleoalba
densirostris
Mesoplodon densirostris
crassidens
Pseudorca crassidens
europaeus
Mesoplodon europaeus
electra
Peponocephala electra
unknown
Species could not be identified. Sometimes abbreviated UNK.
Decomposition Code
Physical state of the animal or carcass at time of examination.
1
Alive
2
Fresh dead
3
Moderate decomposition
4
Advanced decomposition
5
Mummified/skeleton
6
Unknown
Sex
The sex of the animal.
Male
M
Animal is or was male.
Female
F
Animal is or was female.
Unknown
U
The sex of the animal could not be determined.
Straight Length (cm)
Straight length (not contoured) of the animal was taken from the tip of the upper rostrum to the fluke notch on the date of initial examination. If unknown, a value of 0 or "unknown" was recorded. Centimeters.
Human Interaction (HI)
Signs or evidence of human interaction with the animal. This field does not represent cause of stranding or death.
yes
Any signs or evidence of human interaction (HI), whether or not it is believed to be the cause of death.
no
No signs or evidence of human interaction (HI) after full examination of the animal.
CBD
Could not be determined. There is insufficient evidence to indicate any human interaction (HI), or the animal was not thoroughly examined, or the animal was too decomposed for a thorough examination. Signs may have been present to indicate HI but observer/responder was not confident in their findings to determine this type of injury.
unknown
It is not known whether the animal was examined for signs of human interaction.
NA
(Not Applicable) The animal was not examined for human interaction due to decomposition code or other reason.