Whale found in Brigantine was struck by a marine vessel, researchers say
BRIGANTINE, N.J. (CBS) – Another whale washed ashore in Atlantic County on Thursday. The 32-foot sub-adult was found about .5 miles beyond the old U.S. Coast Guard Station in Brigantine, New Jersey.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said in a release on Sunday the dead whale was most likely hit by a marine vessel of some kind.
Researchers say the whale was in good health before the collision. The center said these are preliminary findings and more thorough research will be done in the next few weeks.
Marine Mammal Stranding Center staff identified the whale as female. They also took skin and blubber samples for pathology purposes.
The Department of Environmental Protection, Fish and Wildlife and Marine Mammal Stranding Center all responded to the scene.
This is the third beached whale in Atlantic County within a month. On Dec. 23, a whale washed ashore on the beach near the Tropicana Casino and just last week, a whale was found near Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Additionally, not too far from Atlantic County, in Cape May County, a 30-foot dead humpback whale washed ashore last month.
New Jersey's Gov. Phil Murphy (D) spoke after lawmakers at the local, state and federal levels called for a temporary pause in ocean floor preparation work for offshore wind projects.
New Jersey Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew demanded to halt "any activity moving forward until research disclosed the impacts these projects would have on our environment and the impacts on the fishing industry."
