New York City’s waterways are running red as fatal boat strikes become a growing threat to the booming marine life population — a sick reality that killed a celebrity whale and dolphin so far this year.
NYC0393, a young humpback whale, washed up on Long Beach in January — just months after making a name for herself as a playful and acrobatic leviathan who threw spectacular tail flips in the shadow of the city skyline.
Just weeks later, a common dolphin’s battered body beached in Astoria, raising widespread concerns it was one of the popular pair that bobbed through the East River and danced alongside the NYC Ferry, which some suspected may have delivered the fatal wounds.
The tragic deaths are a sad example of a concerning surge in death by vessel strikes, with the violent collisions reaching a three-decade peak of 11 in 2023, the most recent year for which the data is available — though experts warn the toll may be much higher.
6 There is more marine life in New York City waters, but death by boat strikes is also on the rise. Chris St Lawrence
“We are seeing more animals in our waters, which could be an indication that we’re just going to have more animals that could get hit by boats,” Rob DiGiovanni, chief scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, told The Post.
There were 79 fatal boat strikes in the New York Bight Apex — which stretches from Fire Island to the Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey — from 1992, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began keeping records, and 2023.
Initially, there was either none or just one per year until 2001, when the organization saw a spike of six deaths in a single year, igniting a trend of rising boat-related deaths.
Since 2013, however, the number of deaths has skyrocketed, with most happening in that period. For example, eight were killed in 2017, followed by six the following year and a jaw-dropping 11 in 2023.
Already in 2025 — outside of migration season — the battered bodies of a juvenile humpback whale and a short-beaked dolphin washed up on New York beaches with wounds indicative of boat strikes.
6 A dolphin washed up on Hallet’s Cove in February with wounds indicative of a boat strike. Reddit/The_Barefoot_Barista
But the totals are likely much higher — there were another 239 marine animals killed in the Bight between 2017 and 2023 alone whose causes of death were “unconfirmed.”
Many of the tragic sea life were mutilated and showed signs of human harassment, according to NOAA.
That’s also not counting the number of accidents boat captains fail to report or the struck whales whose bodies are never found.
“If a whale outside of a Right Whale dies, it’s going to sink and then it’s going to start to decompose. Once it starts to decompose, then it’s going to give off gas and then it’ll float. If this happens, 20 or 30 miles offshore, then that animal might not make it to shore,” DiGiovanni explained.
6 A humpback whale that had been seen swimming in the New York Harbor was killed by a boat in January. Leebythesea.me
“I’m sure that there’s animals that we don’t see. There’s a number of animals in our database that were not investigated, not examined because they were 30 and 50 miles offshore and they never made landfall.”
Humpbacks are the most likely to die by boat strike in New York waterways, the data shows, though harbor porpoises and dolphins are among the many victims of the collisions.
Crucially, all share a favorite food source: the Atlantic menhaden, also known as bunker fish, whose populations have exploded after state legislators voted to preserve them six years ago.
6 The New York Harbor is the cleanest it’s been in 100 years, according to experts. Christopher St. Lawrence/Gotham Whale
Warming water temperatures have also changed where marine life hunts, making New York City waterways even more popular — especially now that New York Harbor is considered the cleanest it’s been in the last century
“The New York Bight is a whale feeding ground,” said Danielle Brown, director of Research at Gotham Whale — a nonprofit organization out of Sheepshead Bay that recorded a record-breaking 410 humpback whales in 2024, including 150 new visitors. That’s compared to just five total whales in 2011.
“Menhaden are mainly found close to shore, which puts the whales in close proximity to busy shipping lanes. Humpback whales are unpredictable and can feed at the surface, which can put them at risk of ship strikes,” Brown explained.
6 Humpback whales and dolphins are especially more populous in New York City waters. Chris St Lawrence
“In offshore waters, humpback whales can also be found feeding in the same areas where people go fishing. Humpback whales are at risk of becoming entangled in monofilament fishing line if fishermen get too close.”
According to Brown, the best bet on mitigating further tragedies comes down to the federal level — particularly on cruise ships and container ships which are the typical culprits for whale mortalities.
Enacting year-round speed restrictions rather than just between November and April — the migratory season for North Atlantic right whales — would be one major step, she explained. Additionally, expanding limits into deeper waters, where older marine life tends to feed, would also reduce overall deaths.
6 Whales hunt Atlantic menhaden in the same areas trafficked by cruise and cargo ships. Christopher St. Lawrence/Gotham Whale
“If the public wants to protect all whale species in the New York Bight, it is important for them to advocate for better ways to manage cruise ships and commercial shipping traffic when whales are in the area,” Brown said.
“Additionally, it is important for all recreational boaters and fishermen to be vigilant for feeding whales in the area, give them their space and allow them to feed peacefully.”
