Spatial layers examining whether a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area can be justified in Bermuda to aid in cetacean conservation

• Main Authors: Hay, Catherine, Henry, Lea-Anne, Roberts, J Murray, Stevenson, Andrew
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2024
• Subjects: Atlantic_Areas_Cetaceans_Humans; Atlantic Ocean; Bermuda; Binary Object; Binary Object (File Size); Binary Object (Media Type); cetaceans; Conservation; Family; File content; Horizontal datum; iAtlantic; Infraorder; Integrated Assessment of Atlantic Marine Ecosystems in Space and Time; Latitude; northbound; southbound; Longitude; eastbound; westbound; Obtained from Geographic Information System (GIS); Particularly Sensitive Sea Area; Raster cell size; Reference in WoRMS; Species; unique identification (Semantic URI); unique identification (URI); Vertical datum; Megaptera novaeangliae; Physeter macrocephalus
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.961168; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.961168

These data aim to evaluate the spatial overlap between human activities and the key areas utilised by cetaceans within Bermuda's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Raster and vector layers were collated through online sources and engaging with those working on Bermuda's Marine Spatial Plan. Human use layers include the key regions for shipping, fishing, and tourism operations. Novel shapefiles of cetacean distribution were generated using the participatory Geographic Information System (GIS) platform 'SeaSketch'. Eight experts from three industries (research, whale-watching, and charter boating) contributed to the dataset and created layers based on >20 years knowledge of where Bermuda's cetaceans are distributed. Layers of four cetacean species were generated: humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostrus) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). For the humpback whales, four merged shapefiles exist demonstrating the key areas for various behaviours and/or habitats that have been observed. These include shallow areas between reefs (known as sand holes) where humpbacks are often observed, and areas where they have been observed singing, resting, and engaging in active behaviours. A total overlap of all gathered cetacean layers exists in a raster format to highlight the most diverse regions in Bermuda. Free online data sources of cetacean migrations sightings are also included, which date between 1785-2022. Online data from the World Bank shows the global densities of Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals from various vessels between Jan-2015 and Feb-2021. A proximity analysis was done on this raster within the cetacean layers to show whether shipping concentrations are high within key cetacean areas and thus cause a significant threat. This information was gathered to analyse whether the International Maritime Organization (IMO) could implement a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) to regulate vessel traffic. The ...