A whale has died after being struck by a ship Saturday afternoon alongside the Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey.
Officers with the Marine Mammal Stranding Middle stated they obtained a name from the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit after they noticed a whale within the Barnegat Bay, close to the inlet, round 2:45 p.m. Saturday.
MMSC staffers related with the U.S Coast Guard and Sea Tow, whereas a stranding coordinator responded to the world the place the whale was noticed close to the inlet.
Lower than an hour later, a report got here in from a boater stating {that a} vessel struck a whale, inflicting the boat to almost capsize and a passenger to go overboard shortly after 3:30 p.m. The passenger was capable of get again into the boat and is anticipated to be OK.
Sea Tow, who had remained on the scene to watch the whale, confirmed it had died.
After arriving, the MMSC stranding coordinator boarded with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers and made their method out to the whale, which was resting on a “very shallow” sandbar outdoors of the channel. The whale was recognized as a Minke whale, roughly 20 ft in size, based on the MMSC.
Crews have been capable of get inside 30 yards of the whale, however because of the tidal situations, they weren’t capable of entry the sandbar for additional examination. Officers stated the whale could be towed to the close by Island Seashore State Park for a necropsy. Nonetheless, because of the availability of heavy gear and the upcoming tidal cycle, the whale will stay within the space till Monday morning, when situations permit for crews to maneuver the whale.
The necropsy is anticipated to take a number of hours to finish.
The MMSC says boaters needs to be suggested to make use of warning within the space north of Double Creek Channel in Barnegat Bay and to maintain a minimal of 150 ft away from the whale carcass for his or her security.
You may report any sightings to the middle’s hotline at (609) 266-0538.
