Whales Are at Risk in New York Waterways, Officials Say

More whales are spending extended time near New York and reports of strandings have risen, with many animals showing signs of vessel strikes or fishing-gear entanglement.

Conservation gains and cleaner waters have brought more whales into and near New York Harbor, and researchers report larger numbers lingering to feed. At the same time, commercial and recreational vessel traffic increased after the coronavirus pandemic, and coastal fishing activity remains robust. Strandings in the New York and New Jersey region have risen in recent years, and many animals found by responders showed injuries consistent with collisions or entanglement. Federal and regulatory efforts to address those risks have shifted or stalled, according to the reporting. What officials report: - Researchers and monitoring groups have documented rising counts of humpbacks and occasional sightings of other whale species in the New York Bight. - Annual strandings in the region increased compared with earlier decades, and a substantial share of cases show signs of human interaction such as vessel strikes or gear entanglement. - Officials and rescue organizations attribute many injuries to collisions with vessels and to whales becoming entangled in fishing lines or trap gear. - Proposed regulatory steps mentioned in the article include a withdrawn expansion of vessel speed restrictions and other legislative or regulatory changes that could affect protections for marine mammals. Summary: The presence of more whales near New York has coincided with heavier maritime traffic and a rise in strandings, many with signs of human causes. Next policy or regulatory outcomes are undetermined at this time.