Conservation expert: Speculation on whale deaths jumps the shark. | Opinion

As seen in the Star-Ledger  1/16/23

Researchers and authorities perform a necropsy examination on a female humpback whale in Brigantine on Jan. 15, 2023. The whale is the 7th to wash shore in New Jersey or New York since early December. (Photo by Michael McKenna of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center)

Conservation expert:

Speculation on whale deaths jumps the shark.

| Opinion

By  

• South Jersey Times Guest Columnist

By Capt. Paul Eidman

 

As a professional captain and owner-operator of a recreational fishing charter business in New Jersey, my clients and I are often lucky to come across whales, dolphins, turtles, and other marine life.

On several occasions out at sea, I have even been lucky enough to be sitting still fishing, with the engine off. I have had these enormous humpbacks curiously swim right up to my boat, raise a pectoral flipper up next to my gunwale and look me in the eye. These experiences are as memorable as fishing, if not more so, and will remain with me forever as I have felt their energy to the core of my soul. Because of these experiences, I have been distraught and heartbroken by the news of recent whale strandings.

However, some groups have baselessly claimed that these strandings are caused by offshore wind power development — without waiting for the science on what really happened.

 “Offshore wind offers a clean, economical, beneficial opportunity to combat the climate crisis and an alternative to continuing burning fossil fuels,” "Those who are who are using the tragic deaths of these whales to speak out against any offshore power are engaging in non-scientific speculation,”  Eidman said at the press conference.

Whale strandings can have numerous causes. Whenever an incident like this occurs, teams of scientists and researchers will respond to the event and collect evidence from the deceased whale. Then, over the course of months, they will rigorously assess what could have contributed to the death of these animals. Speculation on a definitive cause immediately after the death of a whale is jumping ahead of science by months and, often, inaccurately.

Some of the groups that have immediately assigned the blame to offshore wind have a pre-formed conclusion. They have historically opposed offshore wind power and have never advocated for the well-being of marine mammals. Assigning blame to the offshore wind industry for these strandings is highly irresponsible. The fact a press conference was held by groups known to have opposed offshore wind power, and have had little to say about marine mammals, demonstrates that this is ideologically driven opportunism.

Other groups, which do have a history of caring about and protecting our ocean resources, may be irresponsibly preempting science. The truth is that soon after a whale stranding, there is no way to know the immediate cause of the death. After Jan. 1, there were two offshore wind-related vessels operating far to the south determining seabed soil composition and bottom mapping— activities that are highly unlikely to cause any harm or mortality.

Early indications from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine are at least one of the deceased humpbacks was likely due to a vessel strike. However, all parties should wait until conclusive results are shared.

The truth is, the reality of whale and human interaction is complicated. We know climate change and warming waters are worsening the whales’ ecosystems. These changes in forage prey abundance and location in our region, unfortunately, intersect with shipping lanes leading into one of the busiest ports in the world, with vessel traffic increasing weekly. New York area ports recently surpassed the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in shipping activity. Given these complex ecological dynamics, blaming offshore wind immediately is far-reaching speculation at best.

This is not to say that offshore wind power will have no impact on wildlife, including whales and marine mammals. Offshore wind power must be developed responsibly, which means avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating damage or interaction with wildlife wherever possible. These efforts must be guided by reasonable, peer-reviewed science, in coordination with scientists, communities, and wildlife experts, not baseless speculation.

It is also true that the greatest danger to marine mammals and all wildlife, including humans, is the climate crisis. We must carefully weigh the impacts to species against the impacts to wildlife and human communities of the rapidly unfolding climate crisis.

Warming waters are, in part, responsible for increasing human-whale conflicts, and are a threat to numerous other species across the globe, to say nothing about the threats of sea-level rise, flooding, and storm activity to communities along the Jersey Shore. Offshore wind offers a clean, economically beneficial opportunity to combat the climate crisis and an alternative to continuing to burn fossil fuels.

Those who are using the tragic deaths of these whales to speak out against any offshore wind power completely are engaging in nonscientific speculation, and some are using this as an opportunity to further anti-environmental agendas. On the climate crisis and on whale strandings, one thing is clear – we must follow the science.

Paul Eidman operates Reel Therapy Fly & Light Tackle Fishing Charters. He is also associated with the nonprofit group Menhaden Defenders, dedicated to maintaining stocks of this fish, a major diet component of whales, sharks, seals, and dolphins. He writes from Tinton Falls.

For more ways to contact Paul click here: Capt. Paul Eidman, NJ USA | Linktree

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