Appendix 2 

 Definitions of Relevant Parameters from the Sighting Data Forms 



Field Hours: The time the boat left the dock and time it returned. Time "off effort" 

 is recorded when no systematic effort is being made to search for dolphins. 



Date: The date is entered as DAY/ MONTH/ YEAR 



Sighting No.: This is entered serially for each day. 



Photographic Coverage: The box to the right of "Platform" is for an indication of the 

 quality of the photographic coverage of the group and is filled in during photo 

 analysis. 1 = Excellent: all dolphins in the group were photographed or 

 otherwise positively identified; 2 = Good: there are photographs of dolphins 

 with distinctive fins that might be in the catalog, but because of the photo quality 

 it is not possible to make appropriate comparisons with the catalog (e.g., it is 

 possible the out-of-focus fins may already be in the catalog, but can't be certain); 3 

 = Poor: photo coverage is known to be incomplete, because not all dolphins were 

 approached for photographs, no photos were taken, film did not turn out, etc. 



Time: Time the dolphins were first sighted and the rime they were left or last seen. 



Location: A description of the location of the initial sighting. 



LOC: A 3-letter code based on physiographical features. 



Latitude and Longitude: These coordinates are calculated from a chart or from a 

 LORAN and entered as degrees, minutes, and l/100ths of a minute. 



Conditions and COND: This refers to meteorological and sea state conditions. They 

 are described briefly, and entered as a code in the box. The condition codes are 

 given on the attached page. A running log of environmental conditions relative 

 to survey effort (noted at each major change in conditions or significant location) 

 are kept in a separate logbook. 



Field Estimates: These nine values are entered in real rime in the field. The 

 number of TOTAL DOLPHINS includes all age classes in the sighting. The 

 MINimum estimated number present, the MAXimum estimated number 

 present, and the BESTesrimate (between min and max) are entered. The BEST 

 estimate is a point estimate, count, or midpoint of a range of estimates. The 

 number of TOTAL CALVES includes all calves in the sighting, including young- 

 of-the-year. The number of YOUNG OF YEAR are all of the calves born within 

 the year. Typically, these are recognizable as newborns during the first six 

 months of life. 



Photo Analysis: These values are entered after completion of photographic 



analyses, and the Dolphins Sighted section at the bottom of the page. Pos IDs is 

 the number of animals positively identified from photographs or in real time. 

 Min not IDed is the MIN minus Pos IDs, or the minimum number of dolphins 

 that were not identified. Max not IDed is the MAX minus the Pos IDs, or the 

 maximum number of dolphins not identified. Revised MIN is the sum of the 

 number of Pos IDs plus the Min not IDed In most cases it will be the same as the 

 MIN, except when the number of Pos IDs exceeds the MIN. Similarly, the 

 Revised MAX will be the sum of the Pos IDs plus the Max not IDed. It will equal 

 the MAX except in those cases where the Pos IDs exceed the MAX. The Final 

 BEST estimate is the best point estimate, literal count, or midpoint of the 



