The U.S National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned ships sailing in the East Coast to limit their speeds and distances after another whale got killed after being hit by a cruise ship. The incident was an addition to the rising number of whale killings this year.
Prior to the latest incident, the federal agency recorded three whale killings this year, including the case of a cruise ship hitting a sei whale in which they did not realize that they have been dragging the body until the port. Another case included a sei whale found lifeless and attached to ship near the port of Philadelphia.
NOAA speculated that the whales might be following their food sources, and these may have been luring them closer to the shore. The agency also said that they already placed reminders and warnings to mariners to ensure the safety of the whales.
"Nobody wants to hit a whale," NOAA spokeswoman, Marjorie Mooney-Seus told Associated Press. "So we want people to have a greater awareness that they're out there now."
She further explained that the usual number of whale killings due to ships was one every week. But the recent reports showed that three whales are being killed by ships every week.
According to NOAA, 28 whale strikes occurred in the Northeastern waters during 2006 to 2010. The National Marine Fisheries Service, on the other hand, documented 292 cases of whale strikes between 1975 and 2002.
Mooney-Seus also detailed that the whale killing in New York was reported on May 4 while the Philadelphia case occurred on May 7. They listed a third casualty but the agency does not have details about it yet.
Whales play an important role in maintaining balance in the marine ecosystems. They help regulate the flow of food by stabilizing the food chain and controlling the population growth of other marine animals. Even their poops are useful as it counterbalance carbon in the atmosphere.
