Dear colleagues, I am a french researcher on marine mammals in the Mediterranean Seaworking since twenty-five years on abundance, distribution and mapping high-risk areas (http://www.ecoocean-institut.org). I am also the vice-chair of the Scientific Committee of the Regional Sea Convention for the Conservation of cetacean in that area : ACCOBAMS. ACCOBAMS organised in 2018 a large synoptic aerial survey over almost the entire Mediterranean Sea (https://accobams.org/main-activites/accobams-survey-initiative-2/asi-prelimi... <https://accobams.org/main-activites/accobams-survey-initiative-2/asi-preliminary-results/>). Data collected concerned cetaceans, seabirds, megafauna and also human activities (marine litter and boat). In few weeks, a workshop dedicated on the results, the lessons learned and the use of such large event to improve the conservation of cetaceans will occur. Considering the collection of data on boats from aerial survey, two major objectives lead that choice : mapping pressure in parallel with animals and getting clue for any attractive/repellent possible effects on animals. I am in charge of evaluating the usefulness of such collection of data on this group from aerial survey. I wanted to illustrate with existing works and based on literature review, discuss some points considering protocols and type of analysis, but found very few literatures on this specific subject on Internet, Google Scholar nor Research gate… Therefore I am writing a message here, looking for reports/articles of studies around the world having collected data on boats sightings during aerial survey and would like to know what has been the use of such data (type of analysis). It would be very useful if those of you leading aerial surveys and collecting data on boats could share their experience and reports/articles with us considering protocols, analysis of data and use of the results for conservation purpose. It seems obvious that collecting data on boat equipped with AIS is not useful, as the AIS source of data will be much more exhaustive for mapping the pressure. The question still remains considering other boats (leisure, fishing...). As it seems interesting to collect data at sea, still I question if any of you have reallly used those data or see the limitations of them to achieve the objectives. Many thanks for your reply Dr Léa DAVID EcoOcéan Institut