Stranding Response and Responsible Viewing of Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles

Over the past several years, the number of large whale stranding events, cold stunned sea turtles, and human interactions with seals have increased. This is partly due to how the ocean, and therefore the distribution of protected species and their prey, is changing rapidly due to climate change. 

New York residents may find themselves in the presence of these animals more frequently, and as such, we encourage you to have safe and respectful experiences while in the vicinity of marine mammals and sea turtles.

To ensure the safety of both people and animals, please continue reading to educate yourself – and others – on how to view these species responsibly and what to expect when stranding events occur.

Stranding Response

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Fisheries), the federal agency responsible for the management and conservation of marine wildlife, authorizes and oversees stranding response in all U.S. coastal states. The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) was established in 1992 under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and now includes dozens of network partners around the country. MMHSRP administers both the National Marine Mammal Stranding Response Network and the National Marine Mammal Entanglement Response Network. It’s important to note that sea turtles are managed by both NOAA Fisheries (while in the water) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS, while on land). Because all species of sea turtles are listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), recovery plans for each species are jointly managed and highlight the need for a stranding network. The Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) was established in 1980 to document sea turtle strandings in the U.S. and in parts of the U.S. Caribbean. As such, permitting is separate from those that cover marine mammal response, but both networks contribute data to centralized databases curated by NOAA Fisheries.

How We Respond in New York

In New York, stranding response for marine mammals, as part of the Greater Atlantic Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and sea turtles is carried out by two federally permitted organizations: the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) and the New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC). The division of responsibilities (see figures below) allows for more coverage and focus on each event.

^Large whale species include minke, humpback, fin, sei, blue, sperm, and North Atlantic right whales. All other cetacean species are considered “small cetaceans”.

*Rehabilitation services are provided by AMSEAS to out of state sea turtles as needed, at the request of NOAA. NYMRC also rehabilitates out of state sea turtles as needed.

The New York State Stranding Hotline provides 24-hour response to sick, injured, and deceased marine mammals and sea turtles. Response protocols were developed jointly by NOAA, DEC, AMSEAS, and NYMRC and outlined in the NYS Stranding Implementation Plan (2017). The plan optimizes stranding response by clarifying roles, identifying standard operating procedures, and streamlining communication to improve efficiency. 

NOAA also led DEC, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and AMSEAS in the development of a Large Whale Response Plan that features the use of the Incident Command System (ICS), includes a detailed communications plan for fast and effective response, and facilitates the dispensing of resources and information to all involved parties.

Stranding 101

Stranding events are natural occurrences, but sometimes they are caused by human activities. The goal of any event is to allow trained and permitted professionals to make a full assessment of the animal(s) and decide on the best course of action for the health and welfare of the animal(s) and humans involved. Action from untrained people can worsen an animal’s condition and put others at risk of injury or disease.

Three general categories of stranding events are dispatched to stranding response organizations:

For more information, see NOAA Fisheries’ Understanding Marine Wildlife Stranding and Response and Entanglement of Marine Life: Risks and Response.

A Vital Research Opportunity

Stranding response plays a critical role in monitoring the health, abundance, and distribution of marine mammal and sea turtle species. These animals are ecosystem representatives and often illustrate a broader picture of ocean health.

A necropsy, or animal autopsy, is conducted whenever possible on stranded animals. The more recently the animal died, the more we can learn from it. As carcasses decompose, so do the amount and quality of information able to be recovered. Necropsies often reveal the ultimate cause of mortality, though cause of death sometimes remains undetermined despite the information gained.

In some cases, the carcass may be inaccessible for data collection. If a necropsy cannot be performed, photo documentation and some measurements may be collected. However, there are situations, such as a carcass significantly far offshore, where even photo documentation is difficult to obtain.

An assessment of general body condition reveals a lot, such as overall health and whether the animal interacted with humans, and samples such as tissue, blood, blubber, and teeth may be taken for lab testing. Age, sex, reproductive status, and diet may be determined from blood and tissue tests. Other tests may indicate toxic levels of pollutants or the presence of an illness or parasite.

On a broader scale, necropsies and sampling may document new diseases or provide DNA to genetic studies that define different populations of animals. Entirely new species of marine mammals have been discovered from necropsies, and some species are known only through dead individuals found on the beach. In those cases, a thorough examination of the carcass allows scientists to describe these existing yet cryptic species more accurately.

Animals that are taken into rehabilitation may also provide a wealth of information. Marine species are inherently difficult to study, so time spent in rehabilitation allows researchers to sharpen rehab protocols and conduct studies not possible in the wild, such as physiological, social, and intelligence research.

This accumulated data and knowledge helps inform management and conservation actions. These actions could include the creation of protected areas, fishing gear restrictions in space or time or material, or other mitigating measures enacted to preserve the health and habitat of these key marine species. DEC remains committed to supporting and collaborating with the New York State stranding response program, to learning more about why animals strand and the best response methods, and to taking action to protect our marine mammals and sea turtles.

And there’s still a lot we don’t know.

Large Whale Events

Large whale strandings and entanglements are complex events. Most live large whales that strand are not healthy and/or are injured so options are limited. Most often, to prevent further suffering, the animal is humanely euthanized. However, there are many logistical – and for the whale, physiological – aspects of a stranding that are taken into consideration during response.

• Human safety is the priority. Unless responders are safe, they can’t effectively do their work. It’s safest to work at low tide in early daylight.
• A whale's size works against them when they are no longer buoyant (i.e., supported by the water). They quickly get dehydrated and struggle to breathe. Their systems start shutting down due to the crushing weight on their organs and due to the exertion and trauma of the stranding process itself.
• Time is also against them due to their physiology, sun exposure, and the significant damage that can be done by scavengers. Most die within hours, but not always.
• Self-rescue is rare for accidental strandings of an otherwise healthy individual. If it does occur, the whale usually frees itself during the next high tide cycle.
• Pain relief and sedation are provided to the whale prior to euthanasia. Reducing the distress of the whale is sometimes enough for the animal to comfortably pass on its own without euthanasia.
• Supportive care is also provided in the form of ensuring the blowhole is clear, protection from scavengers, correcting posture (animal is upright, fluke and pectoral fins are free), shade (e.g., tarps and wet towels), and temperature regulation.
• No, whales don't explode.

Each case is unique in time, place, species, and available resources. What may seem like a simple solution – pushing, lifting, or pulling the animal back into the water – has been attempted before somewhere in the world with negative consequences. Digging a trench, for instance, can result in a whale drowning. Trying to use a crane on a beach to lift a whale can cause the crane to tip over. Dragging a whale by its tail will most likely cause a permanent injury that makes it difficult for the whale to function normally.

Whales are large, powerful, and unpredictable animals. Attempts to help by the public are well-intentioned, but we must remind you that being near a distressed animal of that size is very dangerous. Even the most seasoned responders can suffer horrific injuries including death.

If you have resources that you believe can be helpful in future events, please reach out to DEC at [email protected]. The highest likelihood of your resource being utilized is to identify the resource in advance so that if the time comes, you can be called immediately.

How to Responsibly View Protected Species

The Legal Stuff

Marine mammals are protected by federal law under the Marine Mammal Protection Act which prohibits the taking of marine mammals in all US waters. A "take" is defined as "to harass, hunt, capture, kill, or feed any marine mammal". It does not imply death, and there are different levels of harassment. In addition, all sea turtles and some cetacean species are also protected under the Endangered Species Act. Even after death, marine mammals and sea turtles are still protected under these laws. Collecting any part of a dead animal is also considered a “take” and violation. Violations of these laws can result in large fines, imprisonment, or the seizure of vessels and personal property.

The Many Faces of Harassment

Any form of contact with a marine protected species is harassment and is illegal. It might be hard to resist the desire to help or the opportunity to be near a cute face, but any handling of a protected species by the untrained public always causes more harm than good. Trained and permitted professionals are the only people who may interact with marine mammals and sea turtles.

We understand that the people involved in these illegal interventions have the best intentions. But, for an already compromised animal, that intervention can easily result in death. This unfortunate outcome can be decreased with a little education, and we need your help to pass this information along.

If you witness harassment, or suspected harassment, of a protected species (whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea turtles), please know that you can use the Flipper Files public survey platform to report the event. You may remain anonymous if you choose. See “Ways You Can Help” below for more information.

Viewing Guidelines

Distance and Time Limits

• Remain at least 100 yards from large whales
• Remain at least 50 yards from dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea turtles.
• Remain at least 500 yards away from North Atlantic right whales.
• Limit time spent observing to 30 minutes or less.

At Sea

Recreational watercraft guidelines prevent serious injury and mortality of marine animals and keep boaters (and their boats) safe from harm. We highly recommend the Spout Spotters: Boater Safety Around Whales free online course sponsored by Whale and Dolphin Conservation and NOAA Fisheries. The See a Spout? Watch Out! program helps prepare boaters for navigating through waters shared with protected species, especially large whales.

Here are some reminders:

• Any vessel movement should be parallel to or from the rear of the animal.
  • Do NOT follow, chase, encircle, or leapfrog animals.
  • Do NOT trap animals between another watercraft or the shore.
  • NEVER put your watercraft between a mother and calf.
• Slow down and operate at no-wake speed.
  • Avoid excessive speed or sudden speed changes.
  • Put your engine in neutral when whales approach. Wait for them to surface at least twice before slowly moving out of the area.
• Be wary of lunging, breaching, and flipper-slapping whales.
• Stay clear of light green bubble patches – these happen right before feeding whales come to the surface.
• Do NOT try to get animals to bow or wake-ride. They’ll do it on their own.
• Do NOT rush the beach to cause seals to scatter.
• Slowly leave the area if the animal(s) show signs of disturbance. For example, persistent trumpeting (i.e., loud trumpet-like exhalations) by humpback whales is a sign of tension and frustration.

From Air

For North Atlantic right whales, a minimum altitude of 1,500 feet is required for drones.

On Land

On land a person is most likely to encounter seals/seal pups and cold stunned sea turtles.

• Always remain 50 yards away from seals. Share the shore.
• The warning signs of stress in seals:
  • raising flippers (sorry, they’re not waving)
  • showing their teeth
  • yawning
  • increased vocalization
  • movement (especially towards the water)
• Please don’t feed them. Seals are specialized marine animals evolutionarily adapted to their environment. They do not require fresh water or food from humans. They don’t need to be wet.
• Keep pets away. Seals will often show a defensive response when approached. Allowing your pet to get too close to or interact with a seal may lead to the injury of your pet, yourself, and/or the seal. Diseases can be transmitted between seals and pets or humans.

Remember, if your behavior changes their behavior, it’s time to leave.

Ways You Can Help

Share Your Sightings

DEC’s Division of Marine Resources maintains an open public survey called Flipper Files for people to share their sightings of live, non-distressed marine mammals and sea turtles. The survey can also serve as a reporting platform (anonymously, if desired) if you witness a protected species being harassed or harmed.

Volunteer

AMSEAS and NYMRC, New York’s stranding response organizations, are always looking to add more dedicated individuals to their volunteer teams. Volunteers can be involved in many ways – if you have a particular skillset, see if it can be of use.

Stay Educated and Help Educate Others

Resting or distressed animals can attract a lot of attention and result in crowding, handling, and other dangerous and harmful interactions. Informing other beach goers who may be unaware to keep themselves and their pets a safe distance away is crucial – let’s help everyone view these amazing species in the safest way! 
Properly dispose of recycle and trash.

Many marine protected species have been documented with garbage, plastic or otherwise, in their stomachs, and it often leads to their death. In fact, 86 marine mammal species and all 7 sea turtle species have ingested and/or been entangled in marine debris.

Did you know that every other breath we take comes from the ocean? Proper disposal of our trash helps keep our oceans healthy, our marine species safe, and us breathing! Visit marinedebris.noaa.gov for more information.

Make Informed Decisions

Because your everyday choices do matter.

• Whale SENSE is a training program available to whale watching companies in the U.S. Atlantic and Alaska regions. Sponsored by NOAA and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Whale SENSE recognizes companies committed to responsible viewing and operating practices. Check to see if a company is a participant before going whale watching.
• When buying or eating seafood, check out one of the sustainable seafood websites to make sure your potential meal was caught without harming protected species:

If You Encounter a Distressed Marine Mammal or Sea Turtle

If you find a sick, injured, distressed, or dead marine mammal or sea turtle, please do not touch, pick up, or attempt to rescue the animal. Both live and dead stranded animals can carry diseases and untrained responders can easily be injured by these wild animals. The most important thing you can do is call the stranding hotline (631-369-9829) and provide as much information as possible so they can coordinate an appropriate response.

• Animal description: species, size, etc.
• Location: be as specific as possible (exact coordinates are ideal but nearby landmarks, businesses, or street intersections are just as valuable)
• Your contact information: the responding team may follow up with you if they have any additional questions
• Photos: photos of the animal(s) are incredibly helpful