How South Jersey officials are reacting to mammal strandings at shore

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew repeated his call for a moratorium on offshore wind projects after eight dolphins washed ashore in Sea Isle City on March 21, another in a series of mammal strandings at the Jersey Shore since December. His 1st District counterpart, Rep. Donald Norcross, called for further study and reiterated his own support for clean energy.

Van Drew, the 2nd District Republican, clapped back at critics who'd questioned him after several whales were stranded at the shore.

"When half a dozen whales washed ashore on South Jersey beaches, and I questioned the possibility that offshore wind development could be a factor causing this, I was labeled a 'conspiracy theorist,'" Van Drew said in a March 22 statement.

"Now, three months later, there are over 20 whales that have washed ashore on the East Coast, and just yesterday eight dolphins washed up in the same concentrated area. It is irresponsible for federal agencies to continually tell the public that there is no connection whatsoever between offshore wind surveying and these tragic marine mammal deaths without providing actual evidence and facts backing up the assertion."

Two of the dolphins died, while six others had to be euthanized, after a pod was stranded on a beach in Sea Isle City.

“All eight dolphins have been transported to the NJ State Lab for immediate necropsies,” the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine noted on social media. “We share in the public’s sorrow for these beautiful animals, and we hope that the necropsies will help us understand the reasoning for their stranding.”

Some have blamed offshore sonar mapping in advance of planned wind farms off the New Jersey coast for disturbing mammals' feeding, mating and migratory patterns.

In January, several mayors who lead towns along the shore also called for a moratorium on offshore wind activity pending an investigation into the cause of the mammal deaths: Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Linwood, Brigantine, Long Beach Township, Mantoloking, Bay Head, Point Pleasant Beach, Spring Lake, and Deal.

“While we are not opposed to clean energy, we are concerned about the impacts these projects may already be having on our environment,” the mayors wrote in a letter to state and federal officials.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said it was "aware of no credible evidence that offshore wind-related survey activities could cause whale mortality” but would continue to monitor the situation.

The New Jersey League of Conservation Voters continues to support offshore wind energy and issued a statement after the dolphin deaths saying it would "continue to base our decisions on data, science, and evidence – not conjecture."

Allison McLeod the league's policy director, added that. “NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), BOEM (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management), and the independent Marine Mammal Commission have all gone on the record to state there is no evidence of a connection between the strandings and offshore wind activities. In addition, when the Marine Mammal Stranding Center has had the opportunity to conduct necropsies, the results have shown evidence of boat strikes and net entanglements.”

Earlier this month, hundreds attended a hearing in Wildwood led by Van Drew and fellow Republicans Chris Smith (Ocean and Monmouth counties), Andy Harris of Maryland and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania to explore issues relating to "off-shore wind industrialization."

Van Drew questioned NOAA and BOEM, calling the number of mammal deaths "staggering," and said the proximity of those deaths to offshore wind surveying "raises serious and legitimate questions as to what role offshore wind surveying may be doing to the hearing of these mammals."

At the March Camden County Commissioners meeting, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross said he and Van Drew are "completely in different worlds" when it comes to offshore energy, adding he is "absolutely in favor of clean energy." He cited the need for further study and said it was possible that large commercial fishing operations were taking advantage of offshore wind activity as a scapegoat for the marine deaths.

"I want to follow the facts when it comes to these mammals that we all love and care about," the Camden Democrat said, addressing a question via video.

Phaedra Trethan has been a reporter and editor in South Jersey since 2007 and has called the region home since 1971. Contact her at ptrethan@gannettnj.com, on Twitter @wordsbyPhaedra, or by phone at 856.486-2417.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Dolphins, whales stranded at shore: South Jersey officials react