As the Maine lobster population migrates north into Canadian waters, an alarming five-foot long Lion’s Mane Jellyfish was discovered on a Maine beach earlier this month.   Since 2015, these giants of the Arctic have occasionally appeared along the Maine coastline; however, their dimension has never been as large as the monsters we are seeing today.

CITIZEN SCIENTISTS ON THE LOOKOUT

A researcher connected to the Gulf Of Maine Research Institute, Dr. Nick Record, began to log the unusual sightings during that summer of 2015.  He posted his request to recruit anyone who came upon the Lion manes to enter the data on his Bigelow Lab for Ocean Sciences weblog and send photographs for verification.  Citizen scientists were responsive to his call.

Fast-forward to 2020, Dr. Record was interviewed earlier this week by the local Boston television station to shed light on the dozens of sightings in Maine and around Massachusetts Bay this month.

Admittedly, Dr. Record and his associates cannot offer a valid reason for the unusual jellyfish migration behavior.  He states that there is no good historic data yet to develop predictive models.  Once again, this year, his group needs to track the species everyone is seeing as he builds a library of jellyfish sightings.  Even without data, New England beach-goers overwhelmingly say that climate change is real and it is here.

Craig Gilvarg, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has also weighed in on the world’s largest species of jellyfish, named Cyanea capillata.   He corresponds on their Facebook page, “Their bell-shaped bodies alone can stretch as wide as 8 feet. If they live in plankton-rich waters their tentacles can grow to be as long as blue whales, which often span nearly 90 feet.”

Lion mane jellyfish are abundant and common to the North Atlantic and the Arctic Oceans.   They are related to coral and anemones, not fish.  Jellyfish are faring better than coral as the oceans become more acetic with climate change.  Lion mane bodies are 98 percent water.  Lion mane jellyfish use their tentacles to capture small fish although their main diet is zooplankton.  This species is thought to be at least 500 million years old that dates them back to dinosaurs.

Lion Mane Jellyfish should not be confused with the Lion Fish.  Lion Fish are not accustomed to cold water climates as they are most commonly found in Cuba and Florida.   Lion Fish are also poisonous with barbs.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) research vessel, Ocean Explorer, has recently conducted science data gathering of the Lion Mane Jellyfish.  In 2019, the crew descended into the deep underwater environs of Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.  Seafloor mapping and exploration will continue this summer.

THE JELLYFISH IMAGE THAT BLEW UP SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter handle UberFacts shared an image of a Lion mane approximately five times the size of a diver next to it on October 25th, 2015.  Within the hour, there were more than two thousand retweets.  The photo caption read, “In 1870, a Lion’s Mane Jellyfish washed up onto Massachusetts bay with tentacles measuring 120 feet (73 meters) making it larger than a blue whale.”  Naturally, it caught the attention of the marine biology community.  It wasn’t long before the Assistant Director of Science for the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, Dr. Craig McClain, to write that he knew the picture had been doctored.  He found the same photo without the diver next to it.  Sensationalism won out as the Lion mane is now prominently in the public eye.

HOW DO JELLYFISH MOVE AND MIGRATE

Researchers are collecting data to determine if Jellyfish migration is purposeful or accidental.  The marine scientific community does not offer a genetic or learned mechanism as a reason for jellyfish to move over the ocean like salmon or whales who return to the same location annually to spawn.  Jellyfish commonly float in currents, but they do swim by contracting their bell-shaped body.

Jellyfish models have been the cornerstone of robotic propulsion.  Only recently, a study at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute discovered their propulsion to be extremely efficient as they experimented with jellyfish-inspired robots that could pulsate through the oceans to measure temperature and salinity with limited use of energy.

As of today’s post, only the New England coastline has reported sightings and encounters.  With the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on professional sports, the betting industry might be interested on taking odds on the chances the Lion mane bloom will be coming to New York and New Jersey beaches?

TREATING THE STING OF A LION MANE JELLYFISH

New York and New Jersey ocean enthusiasts have lived with a variety of stinging jellyfish over the past four decades.  Portuguese Man-o-War have visited our shores and thankfully, the Box Jellyfish has not made its appearance to date. “If a beach-goer encounters a lions mane jellyfish, they should move slowly up current and away from the animal to avoid tentacle exposure.” Craig Gilvarg offers. “If stung, flush the tentacles away from the affected area with clean seawater thoroughly and don’t rub the area until the tentacles are gone.”   A sting is extremely painful, but not life-threatening.  There are people who are allergic to the venom, so all should be vigilant.

REPORT YOUR SIGHTING OF A LION’S MANE JELLYFISH

We suggest beach-goers, fishermen, swimmers, boaters and all Citizen Scientists be vigilant and immediately report to your local administrations.  If you like, you can report your discovery of the Lion Mane to Jellyfish.org sighting page.  Sightings along the Gulf of Maine should be reported here to Dr. Record’s page.  You can also contact us here at New York Harbor Channel.

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New York City Whales are a reality.  Two Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) detection buoys confirm the steady presence of Fin, Sei, Humpback, and North Atlantic Right Whales in the New York Bight, the area just east and south of New York Harbor.  This month, humpbacks are ever-present.  So much so, sadly, one washed up on Jacob Riis beach.  It is suspected to have been a newcomer to the area or at least it was not cataloged in the local marine mammal data base.

Whale watching has become a steady business for the operators of the American Princess based in Far Rockaway.  They maintain a regular schedule of whale watching tours where a local naturalist and an apprentice or two are part of the excursion.  Their experience and knowledge of sea life in and around the local waters educates the ship’s audience.

One such marine enthusiast is Mitchell Steinhardt.   His knowledge of the
local sea life in the New York Bight is captured in his photography.  But you must understand that the tour is not only for the whale watching experience.  The spotting of marine mammals is a science.  Photography not only offers the possibility of award-winning pictures, for Paul Seiswerda of Gotham Whale, it is a necessity to keep a catalog viable.

Gotham Whale is a source of education, advocacy, and science for the inhabitants of New York, terrestrial and marine. It contributes to the improving health of New York’s marine environment, for the betterment of both humans and whales.  Paul and his team inspect the photos and updates the data base.  He catalogs returning friends or better yet, new ones.  It’s the new ones that excite him most, as it is a new number or a nickname based on characteristic markings on the fluke, fins, or face kept in Gotham Whale’s New York City Humpback Whale Catalog.  Gotham Whale also tracks the numerous seals and dolphins that call New York home.

But Covid-19 has temporarily shut down whale watching tours.  The American Princess is tied up at the Breezy Point dock.  Even if the ship was to re-classify itself as a research vessel, the lack of paying customers would not be enough to overcome the operating cost.  The tourists have disappeared.  So has Gotham Whale’s main avenue to catalog the New York Bight marine mammals.   Paul is worried the entire 2020 Whale Watching season will be cancelled.

CALLING ALL CITIZEN SCIENTISTS!

Gotham Whale must turn to alternative methods to get their data this season.  Enter the Citizen Scientist, a hardy marine lover who may be a local kayaker, canoer, sailor, jet-skier, or fisherman.  While these adventurous souls are out on the water, there is a good chance they will encounter the very mammals Paul is looking for.  This also applies to sea captains of the large cargo and cruise ships as well as the many support vessels that work New York Harbor such as barge tugs.

As marine mammals are migratory, it is important to track their movement on a daily basis.  New York has recently reopened marinas so the chances are good that boaters will be passing Jamaica Bay, Staten Island, or Sandy Hook.  This sea triangle forms the region where whales, dolphins, and seals thrive.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!

You can be Paul’s ‘eyes on the water’.   Imagine the excitement of your observation at the time of sighting.  Was that whale feeding?  Was there a pod of whales?  Did you observe a baby calf?  Your cell phone automatically gives the latitude and longitude of your location as soon as your picture is taken.  There you go… you are already a Citizen Scientist!   Welcome to the club!

So Paul is asking any boater to be on the lookout.  If you do have an encounter, please send your photo to [email protected].  Not only will you be helping the preservation of these endangered creatures, you will also get a first hand education of  what kind of animal you encountered.  You will forever be credited with your submission for Gotham Whale’s 2020 catalog.  We thank you in advance for doing something special for the waters of the New York Bight.

Gotham Whale is a not-for-profit organization and donations for their tireless work are always appreciated.

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NYHC was monitoring ship traffic between Norfolk, Virginia and the New York Harbor as the USNS Comfort was making its way north.  We noticed an exorbitant number of ships in the 300 mile region.   Originally, we were entertained by the various support vessels that accompanied the hospital ship as it passed under the Verrazzano Bridge.  The colorful McAllister tugs, N.Y.P.D. Police boats, Welcome craft and Media boats were ever-present.  New Yorkers were in a celebratory mood with its’ arrival.

The U.S. Coast Guard Command Station, that regulates the flow of traffic into and out of the port of New York and New Jersey, establishes mandatory speed restrictions when whales frequent shipping lanes.  All members of the Sandy Hook Pilots Association adhere to the law.   However, on Monday morning, many additional craft filled the approach to welcome, support, and gawk at USNS Comfort.  The day was uplifting as the arrival of the Hospital ship painted a bright spot to the metropolitan New York area.  New York Harbor Channel was also caught up in the celebration as we feverishly produced articles and interviews of the event.  The hospital ship arrival was the news of the day.   USNS Comfort’s slow procession and arrival went flawlessly without a hitch.

New York Harbor Channel also regularly monitors the ocean mammal readings generated by the Melville Buoy that detects the presence of whales in the New York Bight.  Sadly, in the midst of an uplifting moment of hope for New York City, NYHC learned of the news of the beached whale just the next day.

The buoy readings are continuously monitored, recorded, and displayed through resources at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.  Without notice or alarm, the Melville Buoy detected no whale activity in the New York Bight.  Notice the void on March 30th here on this chart.

No one reacted.  There is no way of knowing when a ship strike occurs especially if the captain does not report it and/or if the whale is not tagged.  The U.S.C.G. reported spotting the whale floating nine miles off shore Monday night.  A New York State Environmental Conservation police officer found himself at the Far Rockaway Jacob Riis State Park beach on Tuesday morning, March 31st.  The call was for a beached whale.

NYHC spoke to Rachel Bosworth of Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) of Hampton Bays, N.Y. by phone yesterday.  AMCS is the local whale response organization and has been involved with dozens of whale standings or deaths along the south coast of Long Island from Montauk to the New York Bight.  Normally, they help coordinate extensive investigations in these matters; however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and New York State’s ‘stay at home” policy, the usual necropsy and investigation has been scratched for this incident.   The 2-5 year old, 28 foot Humpback whale quickly buried yesterday.

Although it cannot be officially stated or confirmed, once again, this whale death is suspected to be a result of a vessel strike.  Strikes are the number one cause of death along the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Paul Sieswerda’s organization, Gotham Whale, catalogs the whales who frequent the New York Bight.    On happier days, Paul’s associates are frequently out on the water on Far Rockaway’s Whale Watching boat, American Princess, identifying old friends or discovering new ones.  Today, we pause to think of the tragedy as Paul Sieswerda said, “although all of the nation is working through a pandemic, the world still turns and the perils of normal life continue for whales and we humans..”

AMCS frequently would ask one special member of the Shinnecock Nation to offer the customary Whale Memorial Ceremony.  But again, due to the Covid-19 situation, Shane Weeks was absent from today’s Far Rockaway beach burial.  If you are interested in taking a moment to hear the Indian chant for yourself in a moment of silence, you can observe it in our story that NYHC wrote less than a year ago for a beaching in the Hamptons.

There is little captains can do if they are unaware of Ship strikes; however, it is their responsibility to report such incidents so new laws and new technologies might save unsuspecting whales who get caught and confused by the noise of these ships.

Whales are returning to New York waters in ever growing numbers.  New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is also supporting efforts to ensure the health and success of its’ Rockaway Artificial Reef.  The reef’s main purpose is to repopulate this area to attract fish and crustaceans.  Ultimately, this means the return of the whale species that previously fed along the entire length of Long Island more than a century ago.

Let’s take pause to also remember the lives lost of our ocean mammal giants who are once again making New York waters their temporary home as they stop-off in the New York Bight during their north south migrations between Canada and the Caribbean.

As our unknown Humpback is now buried under the sand of Jacob Riis National Park, perhaps we might ask those in charge of data records to attach a name alongside the number.   It would be nice to give a name to this youngster who lost its life way too soon.

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It is not uncommon for the Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary to rescue at least 600 sea turtles a year.  As the sea turtles travel south along the U.S. coastline toward the Caribbean, they leave Canadian, New England, or Massachusetts waters.  Some of the migration pack get trapped by the Provincetown hook and swim further inside Cape Cod Bay.  Thanks to the quick action of the volunteers at Wellfleet, the aquarium staff rehabilitated all three back to health.

Sea turtles require our help during the fall and winter months.  Cape Cod is not alone.  Other not-for-profit organizations such as New York Marine Rescue Center and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Center are dedicated to patrolling and rescuing turtles on Long Island beaches.  And along the New Jersey shore, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Division established the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network.  Those of you who will walk the beaches and estuaries over the next couple of months may stumble upon a distressed turtle.  The best course of action is to contact the emergency rescue phone numbers to learn what to do.

Kemp’s Ridley turtles are endangered and although it cannot be confirmed if there is a direct connection between these cold-stunning incidents and interaction with fishing boats, trawler net entanglement remains the number one culprit for sea turtle trauma and mortality.  Let’s turn our attention to this critical man-made danger that affects all ocean mammals and sea life in general.  It is important to remember that where there are turtles, there is shrimp.  And where there is shrimp, there are shrimp boats.

Shrimp trawlers are an iconic fixture in harbors around the world. They offer an idyllic backdrop to many serene seascapes that commonly adorn our home interiors.  But shrimp trawlers are far from romantic when they catch sea turtles in their nets.  A typical 100 ton trawler requires an engine capacity of 500 horsepower.  The trawler is identified by the characteristic outrigger boom that spans 30 meters across.  The winch and deck machinery at the aft of the ship is generally boxed into a 6 to 8 meter square. The configured elements of the trawl include rope, floats, chains, and netting.  The trawl netting is either dragged along the seabed where shrimp are found in the mud or sand, or the netting is pulled midwater. Each of these devices pose a threat of entanglement.  Shrimpers operate globally, fishing warm-water and cold-water species.

Turtlegate: Laws To Put Doors on Nets

Today, NOAA and many marine mammal advocacy groups such as Oceana, wait for Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce at the Department of Commerce (DOC), to approve and implement stricter proposed regulations for full utilization of Turtle Excluder Devices (TED).

These modifications to the fishing trawler nets will help prevent thousands of sea turtles from being entangled.  Meanwhile, preservation measures sit at the door of the DOC.  In fact, Oceana has sued the Trump Administration in 2017 for violating the Endangered Species Act (ESA) stating the government faileding to adequately consider the harm to sea turtles by shrimp fishing.  Proactive efforts abound in a general initiative to save the endangered sea turtles with relatively little additional financial impact on fishing trawler operators.

The current administration is tabling an otherwise fast-track bill that has support from a
multitude of agencies.  Are we facing Turtlegate?   This past August, the Trump administration stripped protections from the ESA to favor companies who could take advantage of reduced environmental regulation such as offshore oil drilling.  The Department of Commerce (DOC) holds the key to unlock this door to Turtlegate.

Entanglement spawns a phrase commonly used by trawler operators.  It is called “bycatch”. A quick search on the internet finds three good definitions:  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines bycatch as “the portion of a commercial fishing catch that consists of marine animals caught unintentionally.”  The Free Dictionary defines by catch as “unwanted marine creatures that are caught in the nets while fishing for another species; “thousands of dolphins, porpoises and whales are killed as part of the by-catch each year”. Then Wikipedia defines Bycatch as, “in the fishing industry, is a fish or other marine species that is caught unintentionally while catching certain target species and target sizes of fish, crabs etc. Bycatch is either of a different species, the wrong sex, or is undersized or juvenile individuals of the target species.”

Advocates for marine mammal preservation have always been aware that efficient gear is attractive to fishermen only if effective fishing practices calculate their marketable catch.  Obvious goals over the last four decades have been a) to keep shrimp catch high and bycatch low, b) modify fishing gear to achieve ecosystem objectives, c) design a new trawl, and d) increase the selectivity of fish species. The Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) has been a standard since it was first designed by a Norwegian fisherman in the 1980’s.  It is a metal or wooden grid, essentially creating a door in the nets.  Although primitive, the BRD was a step in the right direction and adapted quickly around the world.

Results from Reykjavik: International Efforts to Minimize Bycatch

Experts in marine biology utilized mathematical formulas to create a variation of trawl net sizes needed to take the individual species into consideration.  However, researchers working with local Division of Marine Fisheries of Wilmington Harbor would say. “what works in Iceland doesn’t necessarily work in North Carolina”.  The resulting study would be increments of the mesh size.

Presently, trawl configuration has adapted multiple separator panels such as “Square mesh windows” and “extended funnels” based on the Icelandic Shrimp trawl designs.  Trawl nets were made of nylon and polyethylene.  Fibre technology created Dyneema that is a much stronger fibre as well as being much lighter.  The use of magnets reduces towing resistance.  But above all, the “Turtle Excluder Devices” (TED)  has been the most significant promising advancement to guide turtles safely out of the trawl.

The Hull Truth: Regulations and Enforcement

The trawlers operating in the North Atlantic are under intense scrutiny this year.  NOAA is responsible for the fishing regulation rules and technical data that all ships operating in U.S. waters must abide by.

The United States Coast Guard is empowered to impose enforcement and implementation of NOAA fishery regulations.  This summer, after completing New York Fleet Week this past May, the USCGC Campbell was delegated to a 90 day assignment to inspect fishing vessel equipment, quotas, and proper operations in the Atlantic between New York and Canada.

The USCG is committed to the safety and the safe fishing practices of marine mammals as part of the cirriculum of its Northeast Regional Fisheries Training Center .  Living Marine Resources (LMR) is an essential credo of USCG. The educational arm of NOAA cannot be ignored as it is a leader in marine research and study concentrating on every aspect of marine sea life preservation.

Ghost Gear: A Heavy Toll on Endangered Ocean Species

Fishing net entanglement is not restricted to sea turtles.  Recently, the most endangered of the whale species had one of the less than 500 remaining North Atlantic Right Whale population floating dead off Jones Beach, Long Island.  The whale known as ‘Snake Eyes’ died with no gear attached to his body, but scientific laboratory inspection detected traces of netting and the necropsy identified entanglement as the cause of death.  No less than 7 of this endangered whale species have died as a result of lost or detached fishing gear in Canadian waters.  Sadly, the whales continue to migrate south after the initial incident until they succumb to their injuries.

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This week, Long Island had its first whale casualty for the year.  Shane Weeks, a member of the Shinnecock Nation Indian Tribe of Eastern Long Island, performed the whale memorial ceremony before the marine scientists removed the 37 foot Humpback whale to perform the necroposy to determine the probable cause of death.

Shane beat his turtle shell rattle and sang a prayer to honor the spirit of the animal and gave thanks to the Great Spirit for its creation.  He then spread dried sage in a clamshell and circled the whale.  Shane and his ancestors have performed this ritual for more than 1000 years.

He fears a ship strike was the cause of death.  He has personally performed many whale memorial ceremonies from Queens to Montauk.  “They are like young deer that do not know how to cross the road.”

View The Fox 5 News Coverage Video

This week also brought another whale carcass onto a beach in Massachusetts.  The Cape Cod Humpback has been a local since first identified in 1984.  Her name was ‘Vector’.  She measured 45 feet in length and weighed 40 tons.  A necropsy is presently being conducted.

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Photo Credit to Celia Ackerman

Celia Ackerman, one of the Naturalists, aboard the ship, is not only an expert on ocean mammals, she is interested in the overall health of the Jamaica Bay ecosystem.  The return of eel grass to Jamaica Bay is high on her wish list.  However, in our recent conversation with Jessie Hornstein of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Mr. Hornstein expressed reservations about the grasses imminent return.  “Eel grass is a difficult species.  It requires clear and colder waters.  The nitrogen input causes algae blooms that cause murky water.  Plants require light to grow”.  In the meantime, NYSDEC continues to partner with the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Stony Brook School of Marine Science to try to restore eel grass in New York waters.

Mr. Hornstein along with Chris LaPorta are assigned to the Rockaway Artificial Reef program and they are pleased with the positive results of crustaceans and native fish species that have quickly reclaimed the reef.

Meanwhile, the menhaden, or bunker fish, that have also returned to their native waters, thanks to the Rockaway Artificial Reef, are in jeopardy.  Omega Proteins, a publicly traded fishmeal processor dispatched their fleet to the waters off New York Harbor when they learned of the proliferation of the Atlantic menhaden in the New York Bight.  Omega Proteins nets over 80% of the Atlantic menhaden along the entire U.S. Eastern Coastline.  The neutraceutical is then sold to the lucrative vitamin supplement and food manufacturing industry.

Today, the only viable food source that attracts whales to New York is Menhaden.  The Omega fleet is operating within NOAA Fisheries guidelines, however, over-fishing of this species is diminishing the chances of a vibrant whale population in the New York Bight.  On the return trip back from the last week of seal-watching, we talked to Mitchell Steinhardt, another volunteer and avid photographer for Gotham Whale.  Mitchell claims that fish-oil can be produced by catching other species that are readily found in the Mid-Atlantic waters.

A petition has been generated for all concerned citizens in the Metropolitan New York area who are interested in supporting Gotham Whale’s efforts.  More signatures are needed to impact legislation that will save the Menhaden from their fate.

Photo Credit to Celia Ackerman

You can add your name here and know you have contributed to making the New York Bight home to humpbacks, fin whales, sei whales, and the endangered Right Whales that are currently migrating right outside of the New York Harbor.

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It is calving season!  As of this week, three North Atlantic Right Whale calves have been born in the Critical Habitat off the coast of Florida and Georgia.   The mothers do not have names, rather they are known as #1204, #2791, and #3317.

Katie Jackson of the Florida Wildlife Commission is familiar with all three females.  These whales have given birth multiple times over the past decade.   #2791 is at least 22 years old and this is her third known calf.   But many more calves are needed.  According to Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo of the Providence Center for Coastal Studies, at least one hundred of the remaining Right Whales should also be capable of producing offspring this winter.  He remains guarded and hopes for the best to avoid possible extinction of the North Atlantic Right Whale that could happen within two to three decades.

Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo 2018 lecture

And off Cape Cod, approximately 100 Right Whales were recently spotted.  It is early for the whales to be in the feeding grounds, however, scientists are not alarmed by their presence.

Luckily, the National Oceanic and and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) successfully achieved an exemption during January’s government shutdown for researchers to conduct aerial surveys.  With this verified data, they were able to implement strict mandates in this Dynamic Management Area (DMA) off Cape Cod to help prevent and avoid harm to the Right Whales.  NOAA enlarged the protection zone to offer regulatory measures that fishing and commercial craft are obligated to observe.  All of this good news was good publicity for NOAA as it came just in time for their annual “Whale Week” conference.  The sightings of the calves and the regulatory action off Cape Cod certainly helps to counter NOAA’s recent negative press surrounding the Fisheries division Incidental Hazard Authorization spurred on by the Trump Administration and the Dept of the Interior’s instruction to advance oil and gas mining operations with seismic blasting.

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WHALE SIGHTINGS IN AND AROUND NEW YORK HARBOR

In 2014, more than one hundred Humpback whales were spotted near the entrance of New York Harbor.   Although spottings of that magnitude have not occurred since then, we know the whales are here.  On June 23rd, 2016, a Digital Acoustic Monitoring Instrument (DMON), was mounted on the New York Bight Buoy nicknamed ‘Melville’, twenty-two miles south of Fire Island.  The real-time Iridium satellite began transmitting data directly to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Biology Department.  Within twelve days, the program detected the vocalization of a Fin whale.  Fin whales generally measure seventy feet in length and weigh seventy tons.  They are the second largest whale species after the Blue Whale.  Five months later, a whale was spotted near the Statue of Liberty.

ABC7 NY Report: Whale Spotted in NY Harbor

Dr. Howard Rosenbaum, the Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Ocean Giants Program at the New York Aquarium and one of the team responsible for the implementation of the New York Bight buoy, could only guess it was a Humpback as the Humpbacks were detected by the buoy earlier that week. “We have some of the largest animals on the planet in our own backyard.” Rosenbaum said. “It’s a reawakening to New Yorkers of all the amazing marine life in our waters.”  Adult humpbacks generally measure fifty feet in length and weigh thirty tons.

Humpback whale singing: – Sped up 4x

The New York Bight buoy offers real-time data of whale activity, minute by minute.  Mark Baumgarten is in charge of the Woods Hole DMON program.  His crew reads spectrogram graphs that are dissected to visually identify whale vocalization that is hidden in the blanket of noise created by passing ships.  The mission of Dr. Rosenbaum and Mr. Baumgarten’s buoy is to provide a simple tool for sea captains to use in the shipping channels in and out of New York Harbor.

THE UNDERWATER GEOLOGIC HOTSPOT CALLED THE HUDSON CANYON

Ten thousand years ago, the Hudson Canyon was formed by the last Ice Age that shaped North America.  The underwater canyon runs parallel to the New Jersey coastline.  It is sixty miles long and seven miles wide with walls that are almost a mile deep.  Marine scientists describe the canyon and the expansive valley shelf as a biodiversity hot spot.  Over the centuries, ocean mammals followed the canyon as a major migratory route.

THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

It cannot be disputed that human exploits and resulting pollution along the eastern seaboard is directly responsible for diminished whale numbers.  What is worse, whale calving is not repopulating their species to acceptable numbers.  Recent evidence shows there have been no new calves born in 2018 and current data indicates a population of the North Atlantic Right whales might be as few as 350 individuals.  North Atlantic Right whales are generally fifty feet long and weigh seventy tons.  These baleen whales are of the genus, Eubalaena Glacialis, translated to the ‘True Whales of Ice’.

Right Whale “Upcall”: – Sped up 2x

During the Obama Presidency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), officially stated the Greater Atlantic Region must develop quality-controlled conservation efforts to help save the Right Whales.  However, federal agencies are no longer making such public statements in the present Administration.  In fact, the White House has mandated review of NOAA’s Technical Memorandum of July 2016 “Technical Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammal Hearing.”

THE REGION ALONG THE U.S. EASTERN SEABOARD IS KNOWN AS THE ‘CRITICAL HABITAT’

There are two zones that make up the Critical Habitat Primary areas off the Eastern coastline.  One is Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The other is the span between Savannah, Georgia and Cape Canaveral, Florida.   These two seasonal zones are where whales most commonly are found calving.  It is also where they surface to find and filter their food.  Unfortunately, fishing net entanglement, plastic pollution, ship strikes, and noise pollution are also found here.

NOISE POLLUTION KILLS WHALES

The oceangoing vessels that arrive and depart New York Harbor must be aware of how the the sound of their ships affect migratory whales in the Atlantic Ocean.  Ocean mammals try desperately to escape the disturbing noise and have exhibited unusual, dramatic behavioral change to avoid the excessive noise.  Whales washed up on beaches have been autopsied and scientists found the blood in their brains came from their ears.  Other beached whales had air bubbles in their lungs.  This is similar to symptoms characteristic of the bends when human divers surface too quickly.

Ships produce noise frequency that is the same level that many ocean mammals use to communicate.  See for yourself how many ships become a source of noise contamination.   Open the AIS marine tracking maps found here on our website.  Dozens of ships pass over the areas where the migratory whales either travel or feed.  Ocean vessel noise is not limited to the local waters they travel through.  The ocean serves as a mega-amplifier.

SOUND TRAVELS GREAT DISTANCES.

Many factors affect underwater noise pollution.  The constant pings of echolocation used by fishing boats to find fish, cavitation from propellers that creates tiny bubbles that pop like bubblewrap, and vibration of ship machinery, all range in sound produced underwater similar to a room vacuum cleaner to that of a jet engine.  Marine scientists have a responsibility to offer precise information to verify these facts.  Tagging is often not an option.

A NATURAL BIOLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE

As physical data collection from active whales is near to impossible, an alternative method was required.  During their study of ship noise, New England Aquarium researchers needed to discover the easiest way to measure the bacteria levels and stress hormones of Right whales off Cape Cod.  The scientists trained dogs to pick up the scent of whale fecies or scat.  Laboratory analysis of scat has proved invaluable.

Scientists have been tracking ship noise for many years  to measure their detrimental effects on ocean mammals.  Ironically, the entire week after the World Trade Towers attack of September 11th, 2001, had a drastic reduction in commercial ship traffic in the Atlantic shipping lanes.  Not  coincidental, New England Aquarium researchers found the biological stress levels taken that same week were noticeably reduced in the collected samples as well.  These studies offer conclusive evidence that ship noise is definitely a factor.

The alarming decrease in the Right Whale population created public forums that encouraged the commercial shipping industry to comply with simple common sense approaches to reduce noise.  Newer ships are equipped with more efficient, less noisy, propellers.

Decades past, acoustic buoys and hydrophones were deployed in hopes there frequencies would help move whales out of the shipping channels.  But the researchers found the whales were attracted to the buoy signals.  Unfortunately, whales are forced to live in an ocean environment where they have lost close to ninety percent of their acoustic habitat.  This affects a whale’s ability to find a mate, eat, and migrate.

So, the marine scientific community has one request to sea captains… “Slow Down!”

Link to the N Y Bight Buoy Readings and Recordings.

EFFECTS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

A letter from Senator Charles Schumer to New York Harbor Channel dated February 5th, 2019 states, “Despite the incredible ecological significance of our oceans, proposals continue to be introduced by Congress and the administration to open them up to damaging oil and gas drilling, which I oppose.  Instead of spoiling our precious resources, I believe the government needs to protect this area for future generations.”  Two of the bills that Senator Schumer refers to are a) the Streamlining Environmental Approvals (SEA) Act; and b) the Strengthening the Economy with Critical Untapped Resources to Expand American Energy (SECURE) Act.  Both of these bills have passed in the House Natural Resources Committee and both are designed to override and strip important protections to the existing Endangered Species Act.  Schumer’s camp supports efforts to pass additional federal protections such as the Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act.

Subscribe here to New York Harbor Channel and you will be updated on the latest news, developments. events, and initiatives that are local, regional, or global.  As events unfold, NYHC will identify the location of research vessels using our Marine GPS Tracking Maps.

Sadly, it is apparent dozens of Marine Environmental groups will now need to actively support independent tracking and physical observation of government regulated programs.  No doubt, concerned citizens will want to know the latest movements of NOAA, BOEM, and DOI.

WHAT CAN NEW YORKERS DO RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN WATERS?

Locally, New Yorkers need to support the success of the Rockaway Artificial Reef.  Growth of this submerged area in the New York Bight will create a biodiversity and attract whales to our region.  Of course, common sense initiatives must guide our better judgment.  We must prepare for the visits of these ocean giants.  Do we know how to treat them once they grace us with their presence?  Let’s embrace the teachings of the marine biology experts and share our experiences on public forums.

In the coming months, New York Harbor Channel will communicate with sea captains who have successfully avoided contact with whales.  Their stories will be recorded here on our site.  ‘Save The Whales’ must be a call to all of us.   Meanwhile, we wait to witness a whale breach outside of New York Harbor with joyous expectation.

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All images taken by Ben Von Wong

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