The Jersey Shore’s latest attraction is a tragic one: decomposing whale corpses. Opponents of offshore wind want to pin the blame on windmills. The real culprit is likely much closer to home; you might even be using it right now.
Much of the appliances, furniture and food that fill our homes hitched a ride on a container ship. Over 80% of goods traded worldwide will make an ocean voyage. Large ships generate constant noise in approximately the same frequencies that whales rely on for communication and wayfinding. Multiply this by all the ship traffic bringing goods to our region. Cargo passing through the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has increased by over 250% in less than two decades.
The cacophony of noise produced by these ships is not only disruptive for whales but it can also be deadly. It is difficult for whales to avoid ships when their senses have been dulled. The ocean is a noisy place, especially near ports like PANYNJ.
Detractors of offshore wind development blame associated geological surveys, claiming they are driving whales into ship traffic. However, survey work is approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management because the frequency, amplitude, width and duration of the sounds are below thresholds that affect whales. A gregarious species like the humpback whale is not easily scared.
If the whales had followed their usual migration route between the Caribbean and New England, there might not have been so many local fatalities. Warmer-than-usual winter temperatures and abundant prey fish have drawn many whales to linger in our busy waters longer than expected. This feeding activity occurs near the sea surface, putting foraging whales directly in harm’s way. Rather than sprinting across the marine highway leading to the PANYNJ, the whales are having a picnic right in the path of oncoming traffic.
Evidence of this conflict is etched on the back of many whales in the ocean. Among the four local humpback whales that have had full necropsies since December 2022, all showed evidence of blunt force trauma, likely from ship strikes. Ships have pulled into port with enormous whales stuck to their bows, apparently unaware that the collision had even occurred. This is far from the reality for offshore wind-associated vessels, which are much smaller, and required to have trained marine mammal observers aboard.
What can be done about the problem of ship strikes? The International Whaling Commission has made whale strike-reduction a top priority for their conservation. Slow zones have been established for large ships, but are rarely enforced, and only extend a few miles outside the harbor. We can also reroute ship traffic around whale “hot spots” or restrict their travel to the daytime. The favorite prey of some whales migrate to the ocean surface at night, putting foraging whales in danger.
Equally as important as changing the way ships move is reducing the number of large ships transiting through our waters. Here’s where offshore wind can actually help the whales. By weight, 40% of maritime trade is dedicated to exchanging fossil fuels and petrochemicals. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels can have a direct impact on ship traffic, simultaneously reducing the risk of a deadly strike.
The situation in New Jersey is not exceptional, as it is part of an unusual mortality event observed in humpback whales since 2016. Worse yet, this is only one of 72 such unusual mortality events that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has identified in marine mammals since 1991. An unusual mortality event is an important indicator of ocean health and should be taken seriously. But context is very important — don’t let yourself fall victim to misinformation serving up a platter of red herrings.