The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research on spatial ecology of large marine vertebrates in the Gulf of America. To help identify past and current distributions of imperiled species and/or commercially and recreationally valuable species, and understand drivers of those distributions, a complete understanding of long-term space use by those species is needed. However, existing datasets are held by multiple data owners and are often in different formats and data types, making synthesis and analysis difficult. Working with partners to organize datasets, standardize formatting, and identify ways to best combine different data types is necessary before Gulf-wide assessments of distributions can be made. Additionally, identifying gaps in these data will allow the targeting of areas for new data collection to help fill those needs. These assessments are required to inform management and restoration decisions regarding catch limits, habitat improvements, and anthropogenic activities such as dredging. This work will be a collaborative effort between the USGS and the CESU partner.

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