New York City waterways are running red as deadly boat strikes become a post-marine threat.
NYC0393, a young humpback whale, was washed away at Long Beach in January. It's only months after I made my own name as a playful acrobatic Leviathan who threw a magnificent tail flip into the shadows of the city.
Just a few weeks later, the battered body of a common dolphin on the beach in Astoria raised widespread concern, sprinting through the East River and dancing alongside the NYC ferry.
Tragic deaths are a sad example of concerns about a surge in deaths caused by ship strikes, with violent clashes reaching its 11th peak in 2023.
“We see more animals in the waters, which could indicate that there are only more animals that could be attacked by boat.” Atlantic Marine Conservation Associationsaid in the post.
There were 79 fatal boat strikes at the top of New York's bite. This was 2023, from 1992 when the National Maritime and Atmospheric Administration began to maintain records, from Fire Island in New Jersey to Manaskan Inlet in New Jersey.
Initially, there was no one or one per year until 2001, when the organization saw a surge in six deaths over a year, sparking an upward trend in boat-related deaths.
However, deaths have skyrocketed since 2013, and most have happened during that period. For example, eight people died in 2017, six the following year, and 11 people lost their jaws in 2023.
Already outside the 2025 travel season, the abused bodies of a boy humpback whale and a short dolphin were washed away on New York beaches with wounds indicating boat attacks.
However, the total can be much higher. In just 2017-2023, another 239 marine animals were killed in the bay as the cause of death was “unidentified.”
According to the NOAA, many of the tragic sea creatures were mutilated and showed signs of human harassment.
It also does not count the number of whales that the boat captain failed to report or attacked whales whose bodies were not found.
“If the whale outside the right whale dies, it sinks away and begins to decompose. Once it starts to decompose, it releases gas and then floats.
“We are sure there are animals that we don't see. The database has a large number of animals that have not been investigated, 30 and 50 miles offshore, and they are not being tested because they have never landed.”
The harbor mice and dolphins are one of many casualties in the collision, but humptops are most likely to die from a boat strike in New York waterways.
Importantly, everything shares their favorite food sources: Atlantic Menshaden, also known as Bunkerfish, exploded with the population that exploded after state lawmakers voted to preserve them six years ago.
Hot water temperatures also change where marine life hunts, making New York City's waterways even more popular. The Port of New York is considered to be the cleanest of the last century
“Bite in New York is a whale feeding place,” said Daniel Brown, research director for Gotham Whale, a Sheeps Head Bay nonprofit that recorded a record 410 humpback whales in 2024. This is compared to the 2011 total whales.
“Menhaden is found primarily near the coast, with whales in close proximity to busy transport lanes. Humpbacks are unpredictable, can feed on surfaces, and are at risk of ship strikes,” Brown explained.
“In offshore waters, humpback whales can be found feeding in the same area where people go fishing. Humpback whales are at risk of being entangled with monofilament fishing lines if fishermen get too close.”
According to Brown, the best bet to mitigate further tragedy is the cruise ship and container ship, particularly the typical perpetrators of cruise ships and cruise ships, which will arrive at the federal level.
She explained that enacting a year-round speed limit, rather than between November and April, the North Atlantic right whales' immigration seasons, is a major step. Furthermore, increasing restrictions on deeper waters where older marine organisms tend to feed will also reduce overall mortality.
“If you want to protect all the whale species in the New York bite, it's important to advocate for better ways to manage cruise ships and commercial transport when whales are in the area,” Brown said.
“And it is important that all recreational sailors and fishermen be vigilant about feeding, space and peacefully feeding whales in the area.”
