Humpback whales are dying in greater numbers along the Atlantic Coast, apparently as they follow their food closer to shore in the warming ocean waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The number of humpback whales getting stranded along the entire East Coast has risen since January 2016, with 178 dying in what NOAA calls “unusual mortality events.” That’s defined as a significant die-off of a marine mammal species for unknown causes.
Partial or full necropsies — or autopsies for animals — on about half of the whales found that 40% had evidence of being struck by ships or had gotten entangled in fishing nets.
Of importance for offshore wind installations, there is no scientific information to connect the whale deaths to equipment used to exploration and development.
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The population of humpback whales has increased, said to Kimberly Damon-Randall, director of NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. They eat small fish called menhaden, which are closer to shore this year than they normally are, possibly because climate change.
“That draws the whales closer in, following their prey, where there is a significant amount of vessel traffic,” she said.
Since Dec. 1, there have been 22 standings of large whales, including humpback whales and others, according to Damon-Randall.
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Especially concerning has been the deaths of two North Atlantic Right Whales, which are endangered. There are fewer that 350 left.
NOAA says the best thing boaters can do is to slow down. Boaters should travel no faster than 10 knots so that they can slow down if they see a whale. If a strike is unavoidable it is less likely to be lethal to the whale.
