A commercial fishing vessel would travel for several days in offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine. Onboard researchers did more than map the ocean floor. They also made note of each marine mammal, bird, or other interesting creature they found.
Eventually, after months of data collection, there was enough information to be considered quite significant. Hundreds of marine mammals were noted during the surveys.
Birds appeared in the thousands across the broader survey area.
The observations were made within offshore waters that have become increasingly important to researchers and planners alike.
Taken together, these observations suggested the offshore waters had something in common.
Ten years of offshore surveys revealed something unexpected
The Maine Coastal Mapping Initiative completed offshore surveys between 2015 and 2025 as it mapped the seafloor. Research vessels worked throughout the broader offshore survey area during the project.
Observers documented seabirds, marine mammals, and highly migratory species during survey operations. The research occurred from March to November in waters extending from the Maine and New Hampshire coast to 55 miles offshore.
The study area included waters along the Maine and New Hampshire coastline. It also covered Casco Bay, the Sheepscot River, Matinicus Island, and nearby offshore waters.
That very wide range of geography allowed researchers to collect data on a variety of marine habitats and species.
In 2024/25, the work continued when F/V Titan entered service as an offshore survey vessel.
During that year, multiple offshore trips gathered mapping data and wildlife observations at sea.
More animals keep showing up offshore
All this resulted in a large amount of wildlife data from offshore mapping work. The effort formed part of a long-term project led by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. In 2024, researchers recorded 314 marine mammals and 2,771 seabirds.
Another 83 marine mammals and 1,840 seabirds were recorded in 2025. Together, those observations represented 29 bird species and a wide range of marine mammals.
Some of the most common marine mammals included common dolphins, pilot whales, fin whales, harbor porpoises, seals, and others. In addition to marine mammals and seabirds, the survey also recorded bats and highly migratory species.
The same methods were used throughout the survey.
Each sighting included details about the animal’s location, behavior, weather conditions, visibility, and sea conditions.
Altogether, researchers recorded 397 marine mammals and 4,611 seabirds across the offshore waters they surveyed.
The resulting wildlife records were later added to OBIS-SEAMAP, an international catalog of marine wildlife observations from around the world.
The sightings became something much larger
There is no indication that animals were gathering together due to the presence of the survey vessel. Every single observation contributed toward building a long-term dataset.
That record shows how seabirds, marine mammals, and other species utilize offshore areas of the Gulf of Maine. The data captured where animals were found and the conditions around them throughout the project.
The result is a wildlife dataset spanning eleven years of offshore observations.
Records from earlier survey years were added to the new records from the 2024/25 offshore surveys.
As a result, the dataset includes more than a decade of wildlife activity in parts of the Gulf of Maine.
What could this dataset be used for next?
The records show how marine mammals and seabirds use offshore areas. They were also sent to a global marine wildlife database.
What began as an effort to map the Gulf of Maine also created a long-term record of the wildlife using those waters.
Alongside maps of the Gulf of Maine, researchers have created a long-term record of wildlife using those offshore areas.
This record may also influence how future offshore developments are planned in areas used by marine mammals and seabirds.
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