New Jersey sees uptick in dolphin deaths
MIDDLETOWN, N.J. -- Another dead dolphin was found in New Jersey, bringing the number so far this year to 15, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The dolphin was found dead Wednesday at Leonardo State Marina.
According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, a dolphin and its calf were spotted earlier at another location. A NOAA spokesperson says the calf was euthanized.
Ed Potosnak, the executive director of the League of Conservation Voters, says there are a number of reasons for a possible uptick in dolphin deaths, including marine mammals changing their eating habits because of rising ocean temperatures and more traffic at sea.
"We are more and more dependent on shipping from products from overseas, and the New York Harbor is one of the busiest ports now in the world," Potosnak said. "The second leading cause is getting caught up in abandoned fishing tackle, and the third one is when marine mammals are eating plastic thinking they're food and filling their bellies, and they are not getting nutrition and they starve to death."
This is the sixth dolphin to be found along Monmouth County Beach this year.
Down in Ocean County, Republican Congressional leaders are holding hearings.
"Development and operation of industrial off-shore wind structures should have a fair process," Congressman Jeff Van Drew said.
Without any proof, Van Drew is attributing marine mammal deaths to off-shore wind projects, holding what he called an investigatory hearing, bringing in people to testify.
"If the Atlantic Coast is being used as a testing ground for the eventual national implementation of off-shore wind," Van Drew said.
"I think this is a sham hearing. One of the speakers is from the Cesar Rodney Institute, which is a right-wing think tank that is out of state," Potosnak said.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center buried the dolphin near the shore. There's still no word on what caused the dolphin's death.
