- Eight whales have washed ashore dead in New Jersey since Dec. 1
- The Marine Mammal Commission says offshore wind is not to blame.
In the latest jabs in the public debate over recent whale deaths along the Atlantic Coast, an independent government agency tasked by the federalMarine Mammal Protection Actto protect marine mammals, said Tuesday that offshore wind activities aren't responsible for the recent spate of whale deaths here and elsewhere on the East Coast.
Eight whales have washed ashore dead in New Jersey since Dec. 1, while 23 have been spotted up and down the Atlantic Coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Marine Mammal Commission said the deaths are part of the Humpback Whale Unusual Mortality Event (UME) declared by the National Marine Fisheries Service that began in 2016.
"Although these strandings have generated media interest and public scrutiny, humpback whale strandings are not new nor are they unique to the U.S. Atlantic coast. In fact, ten or more humpback whales have stranded each year during the UME, with a high of 34 in 2017," the commission said.
There have been 184 humpbacks accounted for in the UME. Forty percent of the whales that could be examined at necropsy showed evidence of ship strike or entanglement with fishing gear.
The commission's statement was released the same day that 30 New Jersey mayors joined a chorus for a moratorium on offshore wind surveys until they get an answer on the cause of the whale deaths.
More:Hundreds attend rally to save whales in Point Pleasant Beach
In a letter to federal and state legislatures the mayors’ said they're not opposed to clean energy, but they "are concerned about the impacts these projects may already be having on our environment. Offshore wind developers have obtained permits for the incidental taking of whales, which would typically be illegal under federal law. This could include potential injury to whales, such as damaging their hearing, or by causing behavioral disruptions in feeding and migration."
It is very hard to find signs of acoustic trauma to whales caused by close exposure to loud human-produced sound, especially if the animal's body is in a state of decomposition. A NOAA spokesperson told the Asbury Park Press that scientists look for bruising or trauma to the ear and other organs, but linking it to a particular sound source is difficult.
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What is known is the Gulf of Maine stock of humpback whales, which are a federally protected species, are increasing in numbers.
While adult humpbacks typically go further south to calve and mate in the West Indies during the winter, the commission said as the Gulf of Maine stock of humpback whales continues to grow and more young animals are choosing to overwinter along the Atlantic coast where they are vulnerable to being struck by ships and becoming entangled in fishing gear.
Last year, the Port of New York and New Jersey moved a record total of 9.5 million TEUs. A TEU or twenty-foot equivalent unit, is the industry standard for what would amount to a 20-foot shipping container. That was a 27% increase in shipping from the pre-pandemic 2019 totals. The port was the nation's busiest container port during the peak months of last year's holiday season.
More:What we know now about the rash of whale deaths at the Jersey Shore
A pair of environmental groups, the Animal Protection League of New Jersey and Oceana, have called on NOAA to do more to enforce current speed restrictions along the coast. There currently is a seasonal, mandatory vessel speed rule at the entrance of ports along the U.S. East Coast to reduce the risk of vessel collisions with whales. The speed rule of 10 knots was created to protect the critically endangered right whale.
The rule only pertains to vessels 65 foot or more, but NOAA has proposed a stricter rule that would include vessels down to 35 feet and would encompass much more of the ocean, from the coast out to 100 miles. The rule is out of the public comment period and NOAA is considering it for implementation later this year. The rule would be in place from November through March, the time of peak whale migration.
The rule has drawn the ire of fishermen, who are already grappling with having to give up some turf to the wind turbines, and would have to reduce their speed, thus limiting what fishing grounds they could reach during a scheduled fishing trip.
"The last thing we want to do is a hit a whale. We want them in the water, they're a sign of a healthy environment," said Capt. Bob Bogan, owner of the Gambler party boat in Point Pleasant Beach.
Bogan works in the for-hire sector that takes people out for striped bass in the late fall and early spring when the rule would impact him.
More:Close encounters of the whale kind for Jersey Shore fishermen during striped bass run
Encounters with whales and boaters have increased the last few years when there have been several collisions between small craft and humpback whales as both compete for prey fish around the schools of menhaden baitfish. In one incident, in August 2018, two men fishing for fluke off Deal had their 20-foot center consul boat flipped over by a humpback. Fortunately, both men walked away unharmed and the whale reportedly swam off on its own strength.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.
