Singer Calls for More Marine Wildlife Oversight

After reports of a ninth dead whale in two months washing up on New Jersey beaches, Senator Robert Singer is calling for more oversight to protect marine wildlife in New Jersey.

“Nine dead whales have washed up on New Jersey beaches and we haven’t heard a word from any of the environmental protection agencies,” said Singer (R-30). “Whales are federally protected animals and we should have an agency that is dedicated, if not already, to monitor and care for our marine wildlife. There needs to be more oversight to prevent these alarming deaths from continuing in the future.”

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) along with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife agency have issued no response to the growing number of whales appearing dead along the Jersey coastline according to their news release webpages.

In September 2022, the DEP and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) issued a joint press release on the study of offshore wind development projects, that highlighted the use of underwater gliders to collect data on “ocean pH [levels] presence of tagged fish, and even detections of whales.”

The BPU, however, has issued no statements regarding the detection of dead whales on New Jersey beaches.

“The only difference between now and before these studies began is nine dead whales that have washed up on shore,” Singer added. “If the agencies responsible for protecting the environment and our marine wildlife refuse to step up and address this alarming trend then we need to establish an agency who will. The offshore wind development projects should be temporarily shut down until we can better understand the impact that these studies are having on our marine wildlife population.”