The most desired bait for fishermen of Long Island and New Jersey is known as bunker.  Bunker is a colloquial name for the species known as the Atlantic Menhaden.  Menhaden is a forage fish that is essential for the ocean food web.  Unfortunately for them, every larger fish and mammal swimming in the New York Bight (the sea east and south of New York Harbor) thrive on Menhaden.  Local fishermen are disturbed to hear that bunker numbers in the Bight diminish because of industrialized fishery as it has a direct correlation on the number of larger game fish populating their favorite fishing spots.  Earlier this decade, the decline was especially traumatic.

However, with warmer waters over the past five years, there has been an uptick in the menhaden population.  As climate change has moved Caribbean and Gulf water species northward, the entire ecosystem has also shifted in this northerly direction up the U.S. coastline.  Most significantly, lobsters off New England have moved into Canadian waters to find the cooler temperatures on the ocean floor.  Recently, warm-water sharks typically abundant off of Florida and the Carolina’s are now visiting Long Island.  Of course, another contributing factor is that the sharks may be following the greater numbers of menhaden migrating up to New York and New England.

As a result, Americans are getting their lobsters from Canada, tuna fishing boats coming out of Montauk are filled to capacity, and the incidence of shark sightings are breaking records along Long Island beaches.

WHALES LOVE MENHADEN

The whale population in the New York Bight has also been on the increase.  More humpbacks are regularly feeding on menhaden.  The presence of whales outside of New York City is now commonplace and it is no longer seasonal.  Monitoring devices such as the Melville buoy built by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute identify humpbacks, sei, fin, and right whales throughout the year.

Finally, just three weeks ago, the American Princess whale watching tour was permitted to re-open as Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.  Gotham Whale is a not for profit organization that routinely accompanies the American Princess into the New York Bight to catalog all ocean mammals.  Their naturalists are happy to report many sightings so far this year.

THE MENHADEN SLAUGHTER IN THE NEW YORK BIGHT

But there is a war taking place in the waters along the United States East coast.  For most of us living in the metropolitan area, we know little about it.  The Atlantic Menhaden has been a staple bounty for one specific company whose trawlers come out of Virginia to cast their nets into the New York Bight.  The Omega Protein Company, part of a conglomerate owned by Cooke, a Canadian firm, is responsible for removing millions of menhaden from our waters every year.  Menhaden is targeted as it accounts for the greatest source of omega fish oil, livestock feed, and other desirable consumer goods. The main use is for feed for Cooke’s fish farms around the world.

When New York Harbor Channel first interviewed Paul Sieswerda of Gotham Whale three years ago, we learned of his organization’s effort to not only catalog ocean mammals, but reduce the menhaden fishing quota presently allowed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.  Like all commercial operations that rely on government regulations, the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition has at least two dozen large ocean fishing companies within its ranks.  This organization has traditionally lobbied and influenced the governing body to allow an excessive slaughter of menhaden.

GOTHAM WHALE PETITION TO STOP THE OMEGA FLEET

For casual fishing enthusiasts, divers, boaters, and admirers of the sea, it is important to get involved to protect your environment.  Establishing a manageable program for forage species of fish is essential.  You can sign any number of petitions that have been circulated to help maintain a healthy menhaden population in the New York Bight to allow the ecosystem to thrive.  Gotham Whale is dedicated to the sea life that calls the New York Bight home.  Here is the link for Gotham Whale’s petition to stop the Omega Fleet from over-fishing our waters.

Gotham Whale is aligned with other ecological preservation groups to prevent the collapse of the species in northern waters such as the Menhaden Defenders.  The national organization called the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) is also concerned with saving the menhaden, with greater emphasis this year in the waters outside the Chesapeake Bay where the fight for menhaden is just as important.  TRCP lobbies to influence reduced caps and put in place Ecological Management that will consider the impact on other species by fisheries managers.

These alliances will hopefully bring greater weight to the fight within this decade.  In doing so, ocean mammals will no doubt flourish in New York waters and more of us will be able to share their magnificence just outside of New York Harbor.  The ask of Gotham Whale is to establish a prohibition of industrialized fishing for menhaden within twenty miles from New York Harbor, an area where we know whales feed.  A small step to keep a healthy ecosystem in the New York Bight.

The post IF YOU LIKE MANHATTAN, YOU’LL LOVE MENHADEN (for fishing around NY Harbor) appeared first on New York Harbor Channel.

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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