MIDDLETOWN, NJ – A dead whale has been found floating, dead, inside a Marina in Middletown, the hometown of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
Middletown Mayor Tony Porto confirmed the dead whale and posted a photo to his X account.
“Unfortunately, Middletown is aware of another dead whale that is currently floating near the State Marina. Our police are currently working with the authorities to remove the deceased whale. Please avoid the area while our crews are able to address this distressing incident,” the mayor said.
According to News12 Reported Jim Murdoch, on Thursday, the whale was still in the water at Leonardo Marina.
The whale death is the latest in a trend that has been plaguing the Jersey Shore area since December of 2022.
In a disturbing trend, the shores of New Jersey have seen a significant spike in whale deaths between 2022 and 2023. Marine biologists, environmentalists, and local authorities are growing increasingly concerned as the state witnesses an unusual rise in whale strandings.
The tally began on December 1, 2022, with 10 whales, mostly humpbacks, washing ashore or being spotted off the coast. The numbers continued to grow through 2023, marking a concerning continuity of the trend from the previous year. As of the latest count, the death toll has reached 15 whales at or near the Jersey Shore since December.
2022 saw a total of six large whales including four humpback whales, a minke whale, and a sperm whale finding their end on New Jersey beaches. The count for 2023 has already surpassed the total from the previous year, with at least 14 humpback and minke whales found dead in the waters off New York and New Jersey, up from nine in 2022.
While there were whispers of the deaths being possibly linked to undersea sounds emanating from wind farm construction activities, pro-wind energy supporters have dismissed these claims. They argue that it is premature and unproven to tie the whale deaths to the preparation work for wind farm construction, suggesting that more evidence is needed to establish such a connection.
The alarming rate of whale strandings in New Jersey this year outpaces that of any other state on the East Coast, hinting at a localized issue that demands thorough investigation.