Welcome to Marine predator Observations From Other Platforms of Opportunity (MOFOPO). Our goals are to develop an end-to-end observation system for marine mammals across the Scotia Sea, Drake Passage and western Antarctic Peninsula.

The datasets within this Community are primarily related to Distance Sampling of marine mammals at sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_sampling).  They consist of raw data (Microsoft Access or PostgreSQL databases containing sightings, GPS tracks of vessels, species identification, angle-on-the-bow, weather etc etc), data that have been cleaned using statistical software such as the R Statistical platform and analytical tools and outputs including computer code. The curated data pertain to areas of interest to MOFOPO.  However, the Community is open to additional information against which the analytical procedures can be tested and validated. 

The Community consists of postgraduate students using these data for their academic training, as well as research scientists seeking to maintain an operational distance sampling protocol in the Antarctic that can be used for management purposes.  Thus, the collection is restricted access until such time as the academic requirements of the postgraduate students are met and the processes and procedures have been published, whereupon the Community will be open access / unrestricted and can be utilised by the wider community.