Topic
Research Planning
The Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative (RWSC) is a voluntary forum cohosted by the Northeast Regional Ocean Council and Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and formed by federal agencies, Atlantic coast states, industry, and environmental non-profits to serve as a coordination hub for offshore research and monitoring.
Multiple public and private funders support wildlife and environmental data collection and research in U.S. Atlantic waters. Strategic coordination prevents duplicated effort, strengthens data governance and sharing, improves research relevance to decision-making, and speeds data availability for planning and management.
To support coordination amongst researchers and funders, RWSC has created tools to aggregate and communicate information about where research is occurring and what data are being collected offshore in the Atlantic. These tools include the RWSC Research Database of active wildlife/environment research projects to which researchers can submit project information and the Research Planning layers presented here. To learn more about RWSC research coordination efforts visit: https://rwsc.org/research-data/. For fisheries projects, The Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) maintains the FishFORWRD database, which hosts fisheries research projects in the region. These tools work together to describe the offshore research landscape.
Research Planning datasets display the locations (points, transects, areas) where data are being collected offshore in U.S. Atlantic waters. As such, layers relate to buoys, receivers, and locations of planned survey tracks rather than the actual data and data products derived from data collected at those locations. Location information is aggregated and reviewed by RWSC expert Subcommittees or submitted directly to RWSC/NROC/MARCO.
Within Research Planning, Portal users can explore several subtopics.
Submit Data
We invite anyone conducting research or collecting environmental/wildlife data offshore to contribute to the Research Planning layers. For the purposes of this product, we are only interested in the locations (points, transects, areas) where your data collection is occurring. Use this tool to draw your study area on a map to share with us or upload a spatial dataset of your study area. Alternatively, fill out and submit the templates below to share certain kinds of data for aggregation and display, or email RWSC at map@rwsc.org.
- PAM deployments – Download metadata template
- Acoustic telemetry receivers – Download ACT-MATOS metadata templates
Data Providers and Sources
- NOAA Fisheries
- New England Aquarium
- New York Department of Environmental Conservation
- New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
- Motus Network
- Atlantic Cooperative Telemetry Network
- FACT
- Ocean Tracking Network
- Maine Department of Marine Resources
- Empire Wind 1
- South Fork Wind
- Revolution Wind
- Sunrise Wind
- Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
- New Jersey Offshore Wind Research and Monitoring Initiative
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
- Orsted
- Vineyard Wind
- Wildlife Conservation Society
Subtopic
Science Plan
The RWSC Science Plan is a framework released in 2024 that recommends regional coordination, future data collection, and research related to offshore development. The Plan was developed by the RWSC Steering Committee and RWSC’s expert Subcommittees. The layer included in this subtopic depicts the RWSC study area subregions used throughout the Science Plan to coordinate research planning; it does not reflect research locations or boundaries of data collection.
Data Considerations
Subregion boundaries are used for coordination purposes only and do not represent ecological, research, or political boundaries. They should not be used to bound or limit data collection and research activities.
Status
Science Plan was released February 2024.
Examples of Data
- RWSC Subregions
Subtopic
Visual Surveys
Visual surveys have traditionally been used to investigate the presence and distribution of marine fauna in the coastal and offshore environment. Visual surveys can be conducted from land or from mobile platforms such as vessels and planes. Layers included in this subtopic relate mostly to planned transects associated with aerial surveys (visual surveys conducted from a plane). Tracks from boat-based visual surveys may also be added to this subtopic.
Aerial survey effort among many entities is discussed and coordinated multiple times per year, led by NOAA Fisheries.
Data Considerations
Tracks included in this subtopic don’t necessarily correspond to the actual tracks followed by the survey platforms, rather they reflect planned routes. When available, links to reports with realized tracks are included in the data description.
Status
Locations within this subtopic were reviewed by RWSC Marine Mammal Subcommittee in January 2026.
Examples of Data
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center: New England Offshore – Aerial Surveys 2024-2027
- New England Aquarium: Southern New England – Aerial Surveys 2011-2024
Subtopic
Fish and Sea Turtle Tracking
Acoustic telemetry is a widely used method in fisheries and fish ecology, and it is increasingly implemented to track movement of sea turtles across scales. Acoustic telemetry methods rely on attaching or implanting acoustic transmitters to individuals. Emitted acoustic signals are detected and registered by specialized acoustic receivers.
Data Considerations
Tagged individuals must travel within the detection range of a receiver to be detected. Therefore, acoustic telemetry studies are constrained especially by the location of acoustic receivers.
The RWSC Protected Fish Species Subcommittee, in coordination with ROSA, leads conversations among experts about use of acoustic telemetry in the region. There is currently no region-wide guidance on the deployment/placement of sensors or tags. ROSA is supporting two projects that will advance regional coordination of acoustic telemetry.
Status
Locations within this subtopic were reviewed by RWSC Protected Fish and Sea Turtle Subcommittee in 2025.
Examples of Data
- Acoustic Telemetry Receivers
Subtopic
Bird and Bat Tracking
A large number of entities are funding and implementing bird and bat tracking work aimed at better understanding offshore animal movements in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Tracking studies are one of the few tools that can reveal offshore movements, habitat use, and individual interactions with offshore infrastructure. The Bird and Bat Tracking Working Group (BBTWG) within the RWSC Bird and Bat Subcommittee was established to address this need and to bring together focused expertise on bird and bat tagging to support coordination efforts.
The primary methodological focus is automated telemetry via the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, reflecting the substantial number of bird and bat tracking efforts planned for offshore wind-related studies in the near term. The BBTWG is in the process of developing an up-to-date dataset reflecting coastal and offshore Motus infrastructure. See the BBTWG’s FAQs Answered: Tracking Birds and Bats in Relation to Offshore Wind Energy Using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System for more information.
Data Considerations
Tagged individuals must pass within the detection range of a receiver to be detected. Therefore, Motus-based studies are constrained by the location of a receiver unit or array of receivers.
Status
Locations within this subtopic were reviewed by RWSC Bird and Bat Subcommittee and Bird Tracking Working Group in 2025.
Subtopic
Seafloor Characterization
Seafloor Characterization datasets relate to planned mapping of bathymetry, seafloor geology, subsurface geology, sediment types, and benthic habitats. These data are relevant for habitat assessment, survey planning, navigational safety, and ocean planning. Data depicted in the Seafloor Characterization Subtopic correspond to planned survey areas. To view some of the data collected at these locations, users should explore several individual repositories, including the Seafloor Data Repository (seafloor.dataone.org/data).
The NROC Habitat Classification and Ocean Mapping Subcommittee coordinates and characterizes seafloor mapping surveys throughout the region in collaboration with funders (e.g., federal agencies, states) and researchers including the RWSC Habitat & Ecosystem Subcommittee.
Data Considerations
Due to the diversity of data included in this subtopic, users are advised to check the description of each layer to understand data suitability for the intended purposes.
Status
Data mapped within this subtopic were reviewed by the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative (RWSC) Habitat and Ecosystems Subcommittee in 2025.
Examples of Data
- Planned NOAA Hydrographic Survey Areas
Subtopic
Oceanographic Data Collection
Oceanographic data including physical, chemical, biological, and meteorological parameters are key to investigating the natural dynamics and human induced changes in the marine environment. Observing buoys and stations are popular platforms for the collection of oceanographic data that can be connected to real-time data visualization portals.
Data Considerations
Data shown in this layer reflects locations of buoys and monitoring stations. Data collected by the systems depicted here can be found for example at Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS), or at MARACOOS at oceansmap.maracoos.org.
Status
Locations within this subtopic were reviewed by RWSC Habitat and Ecosystems Subcommittee in 2025.
Examples of Data
- Federal Ocean Observing Buoys and Stations
Subtopic
Plankton Surveys
Plankton surveys count and identify components of the planktonic fauna (plankton and zooplankton) in aquatic ecosystems. Results from these surveys inform assessment of food webs and ecosystem health. These are especially relevant in detecting and evaluating effects of environmental change.
Data Considerations
Plankton surveys can be conducted using different methods and integrate several physical and chemical parameters. Users should check layer descriptions for details on the surveys displayed on layers.
Status
Data mapped within this subtopic were reviewed by the RWSC Habitat and Ecosystem Subcommittee in 2025.
Examples of Data
- Northeast U.S Shelf Long-Term Ecological Research Transects
Subtopic
Passive Acoustic Monitoring
Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) is a method for studying sound-producing animals such as whales and dolphins by recording, for example species vocalizations as well as environmental sounds. Compared to visual surveys, PAM enables monitoring of species’ presence, distribution, and ecosystem changes over larger areas and longer timeframes.
The RWSC Marine Mammal Subcommittee coordinates the deployment of PAM sensors and standardization of PAM data throughout the region among funders and researchers to increase the likelihood that regional scale assessments of baleen whale acoustic presence might be possible in the future.
Data Considerations
Data displayed in this subtopic correspond mainly to the placement of archival and real-time PAM sensors and systems by multiple practitioners and funders. Users should check metadata to learn more about the status of the devices.
Status
Data mapped within this subtopic were reviewed by the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative (RWSC) Marine Mammal Subcommittee in January 2026.
Examples of Data
- PAM deployments
Subtopic
Fisheries Research & Monitoring
Fisheries research and monitoring datasets display the footprints of surveys used to characterize fish communities. Some studies/surveys are being conducted as part of requirements to project proponents by government agencies. Others represent long-term monitoring conducted by government agencies. Fisheries research and monitoring leverages a variety of gear types and methods.
The Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) coordinates fisheries research in the region with respect to offshore development and guides the development of data related to this subtopic.
Data Considerations
Data shown in this layer reflect locations of planned surveys using a variety of methods and gear types. Studies shown on the map may occur for a limited time or have occurred in the past. Users should check the metadata to learn more about the temporal status of studies.
Status
Locations within this subtopic were reviewed by ROSA and their partners in 2026.