This dataset contains records of American manatee (*Trichechus manatus*) obtained during systematic boat surveys conducted by Aquasis along the eastern coast of Ceará, northeastern Brazil, as part of the project “Status de Conservação e Plano de Ação Preliminar para o Peixe-boi Marinho (*Trichechus manatus manatus*) no Litoral Leste do Ceará”, funded by the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment through the National Environment Fund (FNMA).Boat-based surveys were conducted between August 2003 and November 2004 to investigate the spatial distribution of manatees. A total of 10 boat surveys were conducted, comprising approximately 157 hours of monitoring effort. Manatee sightings recorded during the surveys were georeferenced and associated with their respective sampling events.The surveys contributed to the assessment of the conservation status of the species in eastern Ceará and to the identification of areas of importance for manatees in the region.
","language":"eng","citation":{"text":"Meirelles C, Carvalho V (2026). Aquasis | American manatee (Trichechus manatus) sightings during boat surveys in the Potiguar Basin, Northeastern Brazil. Version 2.1. Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.71819/zi3suv accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-10-14.","identifier":"https://doi.org/10.71819/zi3suv","citationProvidedBySource":false},"contactsCitation":[{"key":7600145,"abbreviatedName":"Meirelles C","firstName":"Carol","lastName":"Meirelles","roles":["ORIGINATOR"],"userId":["http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Data collected during the boat surveys were entered into standardized spreadsheets. Survey information was organized into event records, while manatee sightings and their associated biological information were recorded as occurrence records. Each occurrence was linked to its corresponding sampling event through a unique event identifier."]},{"key":7600146,"abbreviatedName":"Carvalho V","firstName":"Vitor","lastName":"Carvalho","roles":["ORIGINATOR"],"userId":[]}],"lockedForAutoUpdate":false,"createdBy":"ad66667b-3654-4041-b537-7e1a909f21de","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-08-28T19:16:36.485+00:00","modified":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.855+00:00","contacts":[{"key":7600145,"type":"ORIGINATOR","primary":true,"userId":["http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Data collected during the boat surveys were entered into standardized spreadsheets. Survey information was organized into event records, while manatee sightings and their associated biological information were recorded as occurrence records. Each occurrence was linked to its corresponding sampling event through a unique event identifier."],"firstName":"Carol","lastName":"Meirelles","position":["Research Associate"],"email":["caomeirelles@gmail.com"],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"organization":"Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos (Aquasis)","address":[],"city":"Caucaia","province":"Ceará","country":"BR","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.828+00:00","modified":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.828+00:00"},{"key":7600146,"type":"ORIGINATOR","primary":false,"userId":[],"firstName":"Vitor","lastName":"Carvalho","position":["Marine Mammal Program Manager"],"email":["vitorluz@aquasis.org"],"phone":[],"homepage":["http://www.aquasis.org"],"organization":"Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos (Aquasis)","address":[],"city":"Caucaia","province":"Ceara","country":"BR","postalCode":"61627250","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.831+00:00","modified":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.831+00:00"},{"key":7600147,"type":"ADMINISTRATIVE_POINT_OF_CONTACT","primary":true,"userId":["http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Data collected during the boat surveys were entered into standardized spreadsheets. Survey information was organized into event records, while manatee sightings and their associated biological information were recorded as occurrence records. Each occurrence was linked to its corresponding sampling event through a unique event identifier."],"firstName":"Carol","lastName":"Meirelles","position":["Research Associate"],"email":["caomeirelles@gmail.com"],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"organization":"Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos (Aquasis)","address":[],"city":"Caucaia","province":"Ceará","country":"BR","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.832+00:00","modified":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.832+00:00"}],"endpoints":[{"key":1321777,"type":"DWC_ARCHIVE","url":"https://ipt.sibbr.gov.br/sibbr/archive.do?r=aquasis_manatee_boat_fnma","createdBy":"ad66667b-3654-4041-b537-7e1a909f21de","modifiedBy":"ad66667b-3654-4041-b537-7e1a909f21de","created":"2026-09-17T12:09:45.532+00:00","modified":"2026-09-17T12:09:45.532+00:00","machineTags":[]},{"key":1321776,"type":"EML","url":"https://ipt.sibbr.gov.br/sibbr/eml.do?r=aquasis_manatee_boat_fnma","createdBy":"ad66667b-3654-4041-b537-7e1a909f21de","modifiedBy":"ad66667b-3654-4041-b537-7e1a909f21de","created":"2026-09-17T12:09:45.468+00:00","modified":"2026-09-17T12:09:45.468+00:00","machineTags":[]}],"machineTags":[{"key":33141183,"namespace":"crawler.gbif.org","name":"crawl_attempt","value":"7","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-10-12T01:20:18.246+00:00"}],"tags":[],"identifiers":[{"key":488618,"type":"URL","identifier":"https://ipt.sibbr.gov.br/sibbr/resource?r=aquasis_manatee_boat_fnma","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.837+00:00","primary":false},{"key":488617,"type":"UUID","identifier":"2ab78264-e072-4ad2-b0c6-6b1faa9982e8","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-09-17T12:10:33.835+00:00","primary":false}],"comments":[],"bibliographicCitations":[{"text":"Costa, A. F. (2006). Distribuição espacial e status do peixe-boi marinho, Trichechus manatus manatus (Sirenia: Trichechidae), no litoral leste do Estado do Ceará. Dissertação de Mestrado em Ciências Marinhas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. 131 p.","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Aquasis. (2006). Status de Conservação e Plano de Ação Preliminar para o Peixe-boi Marinho (Trichechus manatus manatus) no Litoral Leste do Ceará. Aquasis, Fortaleza, Brazil.","citationProvidedBySource":false}],"curatorialUnits":[],"taxonomicCoverages":[{"description":"N/A","coverages":[{"scientificName":"Animalia","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}}]}],"geographicCoverages":[{"description":"The geographic coverage encompasses coastal waters along the eastern coast of Ceará and the adjacent western coast of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, extending from Pontal do Maceió, in Fortim, Ceará, to Tibau, Rio Grande do Norte. T","boundingBox":{"minLatitude":-5.616,"maxLatitude":-3.667,"minLongitude":-38.364,"maxLongitude":-36.431,"globalCoverage":false}}],"temporalCoverages":[{"@type":"range","start":"2003-08-28T00:00:00.000+00:00","end":"2004-11-28T00:00:00.000+00:00"}],"keywordCollections":[{"thesaurus":"GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type_2015-07-10.xml","keywords":["Samplingevent"]},{"thesaurus":"GBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml","keywords":["Observation"]}],"project":{"title":"Connecting Waters, Sharing Data: A Continental Collaboration for American Manatee Conservation","identifier":"BID-LAC2025-MIG-020","contacts":[{"type":"POINT_OF_CONTACT","primary":false,"userId":["https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RsrWzAgAAAAJ&hl=en"],"firstName":"Carol","lastName":"Meirelles","position":[],"email":[],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"address":[]}],"funding":"Biodiversity Information Development funded by the European Union Save the Manatee Club","awards":[],"studyAreaDescription":"South America Atlantic and Caribbean coast, estuaries and rivers (Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia), and Mexico","relatedProjects":[],"abstract":"Although regionally recognized as Vulnerable, the American manatee (Trichechus manatus) is currently severely underrepresented in GBIF occurrence records. This lack of accessible data limits its inclusion in national action plans and weakens regional conservation planning for marine mammals in South America. The need for manatee data was identified during coordinated data-mapping efforts in 2023, led by Dr. Carol Meirelles through the Alliance for Manatees. These efforts revealed large data gaps despite the existence of records from universities, NGOs and government agencies. This project standardizes and publishes legacy datasets compiled from 19 institutions and integrates new data collected across 2024 and 2025. The delivery of a regional workshop in Suriname, where manatee data is critically lacking, provides essential training for participants in data mobilization. Training associated with this project covers Darwin Core formatting, metadata preparation and publishing to GBIF. It will be delivered in partnership with GBIF Brazil (SiBBr), ensuring hands-on guidance from data experts. The project also produces a multilingual technical guide based on case studies, enabling replication and long-term sustainability of best practices. By bridging knowledge gaps, promoting open-access data sharing and fostering regional collaboration, the project delivers long-term benefits for biodiversity. It provides an essential data foundation for conservation prioritization, supports environmental decision-making and ensures that aquatic mammals are integrated into national biodiversity strategies."},"samplingDescription":{"studyExtent":"Boat-based surveys were conducted in coastal waters along the eastern coast of Ceará and the adjacent western coast of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, between August 2003 and November 2004. The surveys covered coastal areas between Pontal do Maceió, Ceará, and Tibau, Rio Grande do Norte, encompassing habitats used by American manatees (Trichechus manatus). A total of 10 boat surveys were conducted during the study period, totaling 157 hours of monitoring effort.","sampling":"Boat surveys were conducted along a predefined linear transect using a 7-m motorized catamaran. Two observers were positioned on elevated seats approximately 4 m above the waterline, while a recorder stationed at the stern recorded navigation and sighting data. Observers used reticle binoculars equipped with a compass (Bushnell Marine 7×50) to detect manatees and estimate their distance and bearing relative to the vessel.\n\nWhen a manatee was sighted, compass direction and reticle readings were reported to the recorder and used to estimate the distance between the animal and the vessel. Geographic position, water depth, vessel speed, bathymetry, and distance from the starting point were also recorded. Water depth was recorded at 20-minute intervals and at each manatee sighting using a Fishfinder echosounder (Raytheon L265). Geographic coordinates associated with manatee sightings were used to generate the occurrence records included in this dataset.","qualityControl":"Methodological consistency was supported by observer training during the first boat survey, the use of a predefined survey route, clearly defined roles for observers and the data recorder, and standardized equipment and procedures for collecting sighting and navigation data.","methodSteps":["Method Step 1 – Boat survey and data collection\n\nBoat survey and data collection\nBoat surveys were conducted along a predefined linear transect using a 7-m motorized catamaran. Two observers were positioned on elevated seats approximately 4 m above the waterline, while a recorder was responsible for recording navigation and sighting data. Observers used Bushnell Marine 7×50 reticle binoculars equipped with a compass to detect manatees and obtain bearing and reticle measurements. Geographic position, water depth, vessel speed, bathymetry, and distance from the starting point were also recorded during the surveys.","Manatee sighting documentation\nWhen a manatee was sighted, the observer reported compass direction and reticle readings to the recorder. These measurements were used to estimate the distance between the animal and the vessel. Water depth was also recorded at the location of each sighting using a Raytheon L265 Fishfinder echosounder.","Data entry and organization\nData collected during the boat surveys were entered into standardized spreadsheets. Survey information was organized into event records, while manatee sightings and their associated biological information were recorded as occurrence records. Each occurrence was linked to its corresponding sampling event through the survey date."]},"countryCoverage":[],"collections":[],"dataDescriptions":[],"dataLanguage":"eng","acknowledgements":"This dataset was generated as part of the project Status de Conservação e Plano de Ação Preliminar para o Peixe-boi Marinho (Trichechus manatus manatus) no Litoral Leste do Ceará, funded by the Brazilian National Environment Fund (FNMA) - Ministry of the Environment of Brazil (MMA). Field surveys, data collection, and project implementation were carried out with the participation of professionals from Aquasis, including Alexandra Fernandes Costa, Maria Danise de Oliveira Alves, Antonio Carlos Amancio, and Cristine Pereira Negrão Silva. Their contributions to the collection, organization, and interpretation of the data are gratefully acknowledged.
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