Abstract
Information on winter marine bird and mammal distributions in Oregon coastal waters has been identified as a data need for marine spatial planning of ocean energy development. As part of the annual marine mammal surveys of the critical habitat for Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries mobilized a winter research survey during 16 February to 06 March 2012. To study marine birds. Partnership between NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center (Conservation Biology and Fish Ecology divisions) and the Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) allowed the principal investigator to place two contract seabird observers on board the Shimada for the entire survey. Deployment of seabird observers during this winter survey allowed quantitative information of marine bird species, abundance and behavior to be collected during all daylight hours when the ship was under way and weather conditions permitted. This report is meant to provide a concise data summary of methods, survey dates and locations, and basic information about bird species seen during the surveys. It is not a final analysis, nor have data been fully processed to provide absolute at-sea density estimates. Marine mammal observations and other ecosystem data collection were funded entirely by NOAA Fisheries; these data are in the custody of M. Bradley Hanson and Dawn Noren, who served as Chief Scientists for the 2012 research survey.