A minke whale was found dead on a sand bar in New Jersey on Saturday after it collided with a small boat, causing a person to go overboard and the vessel to nearly capsize, according to a press release from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC).
Newsweek reached out to MMSC for more information through its website on Sunday during non-working hours.
Why It Matters
The minke whale, one of the smallest baleen whales, is relatively common in the North Atlantic and is often seen in coastal waters along the East Coast.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the western North Atlantic minke whale population is currently not listed as endangered, though population estimates vary. The agency’s most recent assessments from surveys conducted between 2011-2019 suggest a minimum population on the East Coast of approximately 8,000 to 10,000.
However, vessel strikes, entanglement, and habitat disturbances remain significant threats to whales along the eastern seaboard.
U.S. maritime law, specifically the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, prohibits the harassment, hunting, capturing, or killing of marine mammals. The law includes specific rules for recreational and commercial vessels, requiring operators to avoid approaching whales within 100 yards and to reduce speed in certain areas to minimize the risk of collisions.
What To Know
The incident occurred Saturday afternoon in Barnegat Bay, near the north end of Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
MMSC said it was made aware of a stranded whale in the bay near the inlet around 2:45 p.m. local time by the New Jersey State Marine Unit and were coordinating a team when the boat strike occurred.
“MMSC Stranding Staff connected with the US Coast Guard, NJ State Marine Police and Sea Tow as the Stranding Coordinator responded to the scene,” the organization’s release said.
While the stranding coordinator was on the way, the boat struck the whale around 3:40 p.m. Sea Tow, who was still on scene to watch the whale after the first report, reported to MMSC that the whale was dead.
“The Stranding Coordinator boarded a NJ Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers vessel to assess the whale, which was now resting on a sandbar in very shallow water outside of the channel,” the nonprofit rescue’s release said.
Video footage widely shared on social media captured a 20-foot minke whale colliding with a motorboat, causing the vessel to rock violently and throw a woman overboard.
The woman was able to remain afloat next to the boat and was not hurt during the incident, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Boat captain Charlie Nunn told the outlet that the collision was a freak accident and was not caused by antagonizing the whale, adding that the woman is lucky she was not hurt.
What People Are Saying
Boat captain Charlie Nunn said, per NBC Philadelphia: “Definitely a close call, a freak accident. They were certainly not antagonizing it in any way. I think they were in that area prior to the whale going through there.”
He added: “They’re [minke whales] not supposed to be in three feet of water. They keep bumping into something, it’s probably fight-or-flight for the poor thing.”
MMSC stranding coordinating Jay Pagel said, per the Associated Press: “At this point, we really don’t have much to go on. The side of the animal that we were able to observe had no obvious marks on it that we could see. But again, our visibility was very limited.”
What Happens Next?
Authorities plan to move the whale on Monday, the release said.
The whale will then be transported to a state park where a detailed necropsy will be conducted to determine the official cause of death.
Officials urged boaters to stay at least 150 feet from the whale carcass while it remains in the waters off the coast.
MMSC said additional updates will be shared by its media center and social media platforms once the necropsy is complete.
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