Over the past several days, boaters off the CT coast have spotted humpback whales, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday urged caution, noting that the whales appear to be feeding.
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NOAA says boaters and fishermen have reported seeing the whales in the far western stretch of the sound over the last few days.
Howard Rosenbaum, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Ocean Giants program, says the whales are likely following the fish they eat closer to the shore. Whales create the bubbles to confuse and trap their prey, NOAA said.
When a whale collides with a vessel, it can be gravely injured and die from its injuries.
In addition to the potential risk of a collision, the close proximity of a boat may cause a whale to stop feeding.
Humpback whales weigh between 25-40 tons and are up to 60 feet in length, with newborns weighing in at about a ton, according to NOAA.
Please report any sightings to NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Stranding and Entanglement Hotline at 866-755-NOAA (6622) or, in CT waters, to Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Hotline at 860.572.5955 ext.
Riverhead Foundation spokeswoman Rachel Bosworth said boaters can report sightings and whale injuries in NY waters to the foundation’s 24-hour stranding hotline at 631-369-9829.
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Whales are also protected under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA said it’s illegal for people to harm, injure, kill, chase or harass whales, and people could face up to $20,000 and a year in prison. Please report harassment to the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement Hotline at 800-853-1964.
