SOURCE:
Michael DeSantis - May 12, 2023
The groups sent New York and Connecticut federal policymakers an "urgent request" to protect East coast whales.
FARMINGDALE, NY — Environmental organizations — 20 of them — are calling on federal lawmakers in New York and Connecticut to increase funding and protections for East coast whales, the Citizens Campaign for the Environment announced.
The organizations are requesting $20 million for the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund in this year’s budget and measures to ensure whale monitoring data is up-to-date and publicly available, which the groups say could help prevent ship strikes in the future.
Groups are also calling for funding for marine mammal response and necropsy efforts.
"An increase in whales and dolphins off our shores in recent years is a beautiful sight for beachgoers and boaters, unfortunately it also means an increased risk of strikes and fatality events in busy commercial areas," the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, based in Farmingdale, wrote. "Environmental groups are coming together to request help from our Congressional representatives to lead the way on implementing crucial protection measures for these magnificent marine mammals."
In 2016, an increase in humpback whale fatalities off the Atlantic coast resulted in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declaring an Unusual Mortality Events for Humpback whales, Minke whales, and North Atlantic Right whales, according to the advocacy groups.
"These species are under threat from several sources, including ship strikes, fishing gear, plastic pollution, and climate change," the Citizens Campaign for the Environment wrote.
Several whales have died after being stranded off the coast of New York and New Jersey since December, including a Minke whale stranding in the Rockaways and a humpback whale stranding in Lido Beach.
Other recent whale deaths include one that likely died because of natural causes and washed up near Westhampton; and two humpback whales in Suffolk County in two days in July 2020.
"Yet, there has been NO increase in federal funding to investigate the cause of the lingering whale mortality event," the Citizens Campaign for the Environment said.
Some factors the groups believe are causing increased standing deaths for whales are ship strikes in the New York Bight, depopulation of Atlantic herring and river herring, and schools of menhaden flocking too close to the shores of New York and New Jersey.
The letter was addressed to NY state senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; Connecticut state senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal; and U.S. House of Representatives members Andrew Garbarino, Nick LaLota, Anthony D’Esposito, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hakeem Jeffries, John Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Hines, and Jahana Hayes.
It was signed by representatives from the Citizens Campaign for the Environment; League of Women Voters of Brookhaven; Atlantic Marine Conservation Society; Manhasset Bay Protection Committee; Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor; The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk; Fire Island Association; New York League of Conservation Voters; Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee;North Shore Audubon Society; Operation SPLASH; Seatuck Environmental Association; Protecting the Environment in Patchogue Committee (PEP); Students for Climate Action; Renewable Energy and Sustainability Center at Farmingdale State College; Surfrider Foundation; Renewable Energy Long Island; The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor; Save the Sound; and Win with Wind.