Practical design and simulation to optimise distance sampling surveys 15th March 15:10 - 17:00 GMT 16th / 17th March 15:30 - 17:00 GMT Distance sampling surveys are a common way to estimate marine mammal density and abundance. Visual line transect surveys of marine mammals are commonly conducted from aerial or shipboard platforms, while passive acoustic density estimation, using marine mammal vocalizations, is often based on point transect methods. This online workshop will cover how to generate optimal distance sampling survey designs within budgetary and logistical constraints. We will build on the design theory provided in our introductory workshops and look at how to optimise our design in real world settings. We will be considering how to get the most accurate / precise results for our budget, while testing how robust our design is to departures from our design assumptions. We will be using our R package 'dssd' to generate surveys and then optimise them using our new simulation package 'dsims' (release date: 31st January 2021). Some of our examples will be drawn from real-world marine mammal surveys. Discussions on the third day of the workshop will be tailored to participants own survey design challenges - sign up early and let us know about the survey you are planning! More detailed course information can be found at: https://workshops.distancesampling.org/design-march-2021 Feel free to contact the principal instructor Laura Marshall (lhm@st-andrews.ac.uk) for more information. For information about other distance sampling workshops we are running, see https://workshops.distancesampling.org/ -- Len Thomas len.thomas@st-andrews.ac.uk lenthomas.org @len_thom Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling and School of Mathematics and Statistics The Observatory, University of St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9LZ Office: UK+1334-461801 Admin: UK+1334-461842 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013532.