Dead whale washes ashore near Bay Creek

A dead whale washed ashore at the mouth of Plantation Creek Friday afternoon near Bay Creek.

Footage captured and posted on social media show what appears to be a small humpback whale washed up against a rock jetty.

According to a report from USA Today, 14 whales whales have washed ashore along the East Coast since December 1, 2022, and some have blamed the whale deaths on seismic testing being done to construct offshore wind turbines. This has prompted a group of New Jersey Mayors to call for a moratorium on offshore wind energy development until federal and state scientists can assure the public that ocean noise related to underwater seabed mapping, soil borings and other turbine construction activities poses no threat to whales. Federal officials have stated there’s no evidence offshore wind turbines are responsible.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is in the process of conducting three separate investigations into the increase in deaths among Atlantic Coast whales.