NJDEP Statement on East Coast Whale Mortalities

[NJDFW]

Humpback whales are the most common whale seen in New Jersey’s waters. The Atlantic Ocean humpback whale population has been increasing in recent years and they were federally delisted as Endangered in 2016. More humpback whales have been observed overwintering in our nearshore waters, likely due to factors related to climate change, increased food abundance, and improved water quality.

In consultation with NOAA Fisheries, the lead federal agency responsible for evaluating potential impacts to marine life and habitats from human activities in federal waters, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been monitoring an unusual humpback whale mortality event that has been affecting Atlantic coast states since January 2016. In January of this year, the DEP began receiving concerns from stakeholders that the development of offshore wind energy infrastructure off New Jersey’s coast is causing whale mortality. All offshore wind survey activities have been permitted by NOAA Fisheries and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and deemed safe for marine mammals, i.e., no injurious activities have been permitted for offshore wind developers.

As of March 2023, no offshore wind-related construction activities have taken place in waters off the New Jersey coast, and DEP is aware of no credible evidence that offshore wind-related survey activities could cause whale mortality. While DEP has no reason to conclude that whale mortality is attributable to offshore wind-related activities, DEP will continue to monitor. 

However, DEP remains concerned that ocean temperatures, which are projected to increase due to human-caused climate change caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, will continue to adversely impact marine mammals, including whales, their food sources, habitats, and migration patterns, as summarized in the New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change (Chapter 5.9). Due to these changes in ocean temperature and water chemistry, populations of marine species – including menhaden, a key whale food source—adapt by moving into new areas where conditions are more favorable. Changes that draw prey fish landward similarly increase the risk that these fish and their predators, including whales, may be drawn into conflict with human activities, such as vessel strikes that may increase whale mortality. 

DEP is dedicated to the conservation, protection, and restoration of all natural resources, including aquatic habitats and the fish and wildlife that rely upon the sound management of marine environments. In fulfilling this mission, DEP administers New Jersey’s Coastal Zone Management Program, regulates certain activities in state waters, including the development of energy-generating facilities and infrastructure, and otherwise coordinates environmental reviews with federal government agencies. DEP expects that all regulated entities, including offshore wind project sponsors, pursue development objectives responsibly, including assessing potential environmental impacts and avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating likely adverse effects upon natural resources, including marine mammals and their habitats.

In addition, the Offshore Wind Research & Monitoring Initiative (RMI), a collaborative effort of the DEP and BPU, has authorized $8.5 million in funding to date for scientific efforts to ensure the safe and ecologically responsible development of offshore wind energy.  As part of the BPU’s second wind energy solicitation, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC, and Ocean Wind II, LLC committed $10,000 per megawatt of project-nameplate capacity awarded – a total of about $26 million – to fund regional research and ecological monitoring of the environmental impacts of offshore wind. The projects are being implemented by a variety of academic and research entities and include work to evaluate and minimize impacts to a variety of marine wildlife, including whales.

For more details on RMI, visit https://dep.nj.gov/offshorewind/rmi/ Click on the “Projects” tab for more information on the various research projects.

For information from NOAA on humpback whale mortalities, visit 2016–2023 Humpback Whale Unusual Mortality Event Along the Atlantic Coast | NOAA Fisheries

For a DEP microsite on whale mortalities, visit https://dep.nj.gov/humpback-whale-unusual-mortality-event/

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[Bonefreak]

This press release gets approved by the Commissioner of the DEP who is politically appointed by Governor Murphy, who ironically owns a company that will profit from the wind turbine development off our coast that is killing our precious whales!!
 

If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you!!!

[BowhunterNJ]

Really what they are saying is no construction has taken place, but certainly research and testing have, no?

[smittty]

Hey go back and read my old posts on this subject. Not saying I’m right just saying that I said I thought the reason was pretty much spot on with NMF and the DEP. I never blamed climate change but a I said I was feeling that there’s just an abundance of mammals and bait in the area the past year or so. The bunkers never wintered here like they do now. Climate change im not sure of 

[MGHunter66]

5 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

Really what they are saying is no construction has taken place, but certainly research and testing have, no?

Correct, it’s funny how quickly DEP sites climate change yet dismisses everything else. Gov is just full of liars with agendas

[Tarhunt]

I've been hearing announcements on the radio that the whale deaths are related to vessel strikes and not the sonar research. The Dems control the media and will benefit from the wind farms so, I do not believe anything they say. 

[smittty]

5 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

Really what they are saying is no construction has taken place, but certainly research and testing have, no?

Listen they have been on this wind mill project for many years and now all of a sudden theses mammals are dying I don’t think so. And just for the record I’m against the wind farms. I would just like to find the real problem and everything I see is just lots and I mean lots of bolth bait and mammals around lately sharks and tuna also Some of you im sure are not even aware of the giant tuna fishery that has exploded right here three miles off rock away to last to summers

[BowhunterNJ]

10 minutes ago, smittty said:

Listen they have been on this wind mill project for many years and now all of a sudden theses mammals are dying I don’t think so. And just for the record I’m against the wind farms. I would just like to find the real problem and everything I see is just lots and I mean lots of bolth bait and mammals around lately sharks and tuna also Some of you im sure are not even aware of the giant tuna fishery that has exploded right here three miles off rock away to last to summers

I don't know the entire timeline and history of activity.  But I would say if they've been doing the suspected sonar testing in the same areas with the same frequency and intensity, then something else would be causing this.

Certainly could be some other factor(s), but something is causing it, whether it's natural or manmade.

[Coyoteslayer]

30 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

Really what they are saying is no construction has taken place, but certainly research and testing have, no?

See now I read it as they have stolen 26 million dollars and not done as promised but your view is fascinating 🤣🤣

[hammer4reel]

30 minutes ago, smittty said:

Listen they have been on this wind mill project for many years and now all of a sudden theses mammals are dying I don’t think so. And just for the record I’m against the wind farms. I would just like to find the real problem and everything I see is just lots and I mean lots of bolth bait and mammals around lately sharks and tuna also Some of you im sure are not even aware of the giant tuna fishery that has exploded right here three miles off rock away to last to summers

Look at the AIS logs for the survey vessels , they are right where the whales and dolphins have been  found each time .

when they claimed they had stopped Oceanside They had , because they were inside the raritan bay .

and that’s when the dolphins as well as the two NY whales showed up.

their is some substantiative rumors more whales have been pulled offshore so they didn’t make it to the beach .

 

 

 

[smittty]

13 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

I don't know the entire timeline and history of activity.  But I would say if they've been doing the suspected sonar testing in the same areas with the same frequency and intensity, then something else would be causing this.

Certainly could be some other factor(s), but something is causing it, whether it's natural or manmade.

I know the time lines I also know a few people working on the project that being said again I am against it but don’t believe it has Anything do with the whales dying but they really should figure it out. Like I’ve sad in the past that there’s just that many more whales in the area why my guess is feed that’s why your also seeing porpoises tuna a sharks here on the beach like never before.  Climate change I don’t know maybe like I said the bait is here never had bunkers winter here at least not the main biomass 

[hammer4reel]

See they weren’t working Oceanside the last few days either , but look in the bay 

[smittty]

1 minute ago, hammer4reel said:

Look at the AIS logs for the survey vessels , they are right where the whales and dolphins have been  found each time .

when they claimed they had stopped Oceanside They had , because they were inside the raritan bay .

and that’s when the dolphins as well as the two NY whales showed up.

their is some substantiative rumors more whales have been pulled offshore so they didn’t make it to the beach .

 

 

 

Dan they’ve been at least three years now doing those sounding sorry make the five how come all of a sudden.  I really wish that was the problem 

[tick trawler]

Who can believe anything this administration says after the vaccine deception and genocide they implemented.

 

"....DEP remains concerned that ocean temperatures, which are projected to increase due to human-caused climate change caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, will continue to adversely impact marine mammals, including whales, their food sources, habitats, and migration patterns, as summarized in....."

trust "the science"? 

Never again.

"The science" is a subsidiary of big pharma, the banks, insurance companies, United Nations Agenda 2030, even the oil companies are in on looting the treasuries in the name of "green energy"

We see you.  You have lost your mandate.

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by tick trawler

[hammer4reel]

Just now, smittty said:

Dan they’ve been at least three years now doing those sounding sorry make the five how come all of a sudden.  I really wish that was the problem 

Incorrect , original soundings were signed off as not needed .

‘These low frequency soundings are being done because there were failures of monopiles not having sufficient base to hold them .

these whales winter here yearly  from December till may . It’s now they are most concentrated . 
Navy knows and has proven data that the frequency being used distorts the whales sonar .

yet now they wanna blame fossil fuels . 
come on , you could write the agenda of what’s coming next .

they want all boat traffic out of the wind construction zone , and their 10 knot speed limit.