Whale dead, passenger sent flying off boat after collision in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, officials say

A whale has died after being struck by a boat Saturday afternoon along the Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Officials with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said they received a call from the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit after they spotted a whale in the Barnegat Bay, near the inlet, around 2:45 p.m. Saturday.

MMSC staffers connected with the U.S Coast Guard and Sea Tow, while a stranding coordinator responded to the area where the whale was spotted near the inlet.

Less than an hour later, a report came in from a boater stating that a vessel struck a whale, causing the boat to nearly capsize and a passenger to go overboard shortly after 3:30 p.m. The passenger was able to get back into the boat and is expected to be OK. 

Sea Tow, who had remained on the scene to observe the whale, confirmed it had died.

After arriving, the MMSC stranding coordinator boarded with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers and made their way out to the whale, which was resting on a “very shallow” sandbar outside of the channel. The whale was identified as a Minke whale, approximately 20 feet in length, according to the MMSC.

Crews were able to get within 30 yards of the whale, but due to the tidal conditions, they were not able to access the sandbar for further examination. Officials said the whale can be towed to the nearby Island Beach State Park for a necropsy. However, due to the availability of heavy equipment and the upcoming tidal cycle, the whale will remain in the area until Monday morning, when conditions allow for crews to move the whale.

The necropsy is expected to take several hours to complete. 

The MMSC says boaters should be advised to use caution in the area north of Double Creek Channel in Barnegat Bay and to keep a minimum of 150 feet away from the whale carcass for their safety. 

You can report any sightings to the center’s hotline at (609) 266-0538.