Regional Whale Catalog Reaches 500th Humpback Milestone

A long-term effort to document humpback whales in the waters surrounding New York and New Jersey has reached a significant milestone, with researchers officially cataloging their 500th individual whale. The project, led by the Staten Island-based nonprofit Gotham Whale, has been active since 2012, utilizing a network of volunteers and boat operators to photograph and identify whales based on the unique markings on their tail flukes.

Chris St. Lawrence, a spokesperson for Gotham Whale, attributes the rising number of sightings to a combination of cleaner local waters and effective fishery management. These improvements have created a new, reliable food source for humpbacks, whose traditional feeding grounds in New England and Canada have been disrupted by warming ocean temperatures linked to climate change. While researchers once spotted only 10 to 30 new whales annually, that figure has climbed to between 80 and 100 in recent years.

Despite the positive environmental indicators, the influx of whales has raised concerns regarding their safety. The Port of New York and New Jersey remains one of the busiest maritime hubs in the United States, and whales are frequently observed in active shipping lanes. Many animals identified in the catalog bear scars or wounds consistent with propeller strikes.

Federal authorities have maintained an "unusual mortality event" designation for humpback whales along the Atlantic Coast since 2016. Data indicates that New York and New Jersey have reported the highest number of whale deaths in the region during this period. A 2024 study conducted by Stony Brook University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) identified vessel strikes—particularly involving younger, less experienced whales—as a primary driver of these fatalities.

Researchers hope that the data collected through the cataloging project will help inform future protective strategies. By better understanding the movement patterns and seasonal behaviors of these whales, conservationists aim to develop methods that could reduce the risk of collisions in the region's crowded waterways.