A boat hit a humpback whale off Barrier Island near Long Beach, California, and the Fire Department there warned boaters there to keep at least 300 feet away from whales in the future. The Fire Department also posted the picture above on Facebook, showing boats much closer than that to a whale near the harbor.
“Boaters, this is unacceptable,” the Fire Department wrote. “These boats are way, way too close to our friendly neighbors (whales) who’ve come to our shores for a visit. Not only is it dangerous to get so up close and personal, it’s also illegal.”
The Fire Department asked anyone who sees boats getting too close to whales to call the Coast Guard. Boats need to be at least 300 feet away from whales, for the safety of the whale and also the safety of the boat. Boat propellers can kill whales; whales can capsize boats.
Gotham Whale, a group studying whales in New York, had these tips for boaters who come across whales:
- Stay at least 300 feet away from a whale.
- Run a course parallel to the whales and at the speed of the whales.
- Approach and leave the area at no-wake speed.
- Do not intentionally drift down on whales.
Read more:
https://patch.com/new-york/longbeach/lbfd-warns-boaters-give-whales-space-after-one-was-hit-boat
