Original provider: Observatoire PELAGIS UMS 3462 University La Rochelle - CNRS Dataset credits: Observatoire PELAGIS UMS 3462, University La Rochelle - CNRS -Agence des Aires Marines Protégées - Direction de l'Eau et de la Biodiversité Abstract: In order to establish a baseline map of cetaceans and other pelagic megafauna across the French EEZ, the French agency for marine protected areas (AAMP) decided to conduct a series of surveys allowing hotspots of abundance and diversity to be identified and a future monitoring scheme to be established. A dedicated aerial survey methodology, following standard protocols, was preferred to ship surveys. The general design corresponds to published protocols prepared for small cetaceans, but data for other marine mammals (large whales, sirenians), seabirds, sea-turtles, large teleosts and large elasmobranchs) are collected as well.