TOWN OF HUNTINGTON
Dolphins Spotted In Huntington Waters
At least 100 Bottlenose seen swimming westward through the Long Island Sound
By Mike Koehler/mkoehler@longislandernews.com

Marine experts said they aren’t exactly sure why dolphins appeared in Huntington Harbor and other Long Island waters, nor do they know if they’ve already left.

Garry Sherman, a Melville waste metal business owner, was one of many who spotted a pod of Bottlenose dolphins in Huntington Harbor and Huntington Bay last Friday.

Kim Durham, Rescue Program director for the Riverhead Foundation, confirmed that reports about at least 100 dolphins came in late Thursday morning. Members of the non-profit joined Coast Guardsmen on the water, identifying them before a severe thunderstorm chased them inland.

“We observed feeding behavior. We also documented young calves,” Durham said.

Feeding is also the top theory among Long Island’s marine experts why the dolphins showed up here. Stony Brook University Professor Bill Wise said he believes they’re following schools of Menhaden, known colloquially as moss bunker, squid or Herring.

Baitfish have been reported throughout the area, Durham said, and the dolphins have been seen “feasting” on them.

Bottlenose dolphins eat about five percent of their weight every day, Wise said. An average adult Bottlenose can weight 750 pounds, and consume more than 35 pounds of fish daily.

By Saturday, reports came into the Foundation that the Bottlenose pod had moved further west along the Long Island Sound into Hempstead Harbor. Foundation members joined the Port Washington Bay Constable on the water again, Durham said, and this time were able to record the animals.

“We used a hydrophone and we were able to hear the vocalizations. They were whistling and clicking. Our goal was to videotape their behaviors and record any acoustic material we could,” she said.

The dolphins apparently chased the baitfish further west during the night; New York Harbor Patrol reported seeing them in the East River on Sunday.

A Foundation biologist took to the skies on Monday in an unsuccessful attempt to track the Bottlenose down again. However, the non-profit received oral reports of 50 dolphins swimming west and eating baitfish in the Atlantic Ocean near Sagaponack. Durham said no visual proof was submitted, and the Foundation can’t even identify which type of dolphin may have been present.

“We don’t know if the animals moved off-shore or are coming back,” Durham said. “I don’t know about the baitfish.”

Anybody who sees a dolphin is asked to call the Foundation at 631-369-9829.

Not endangered per se, Bottlenose dolphins remain protected by the federal government in all American waters. Hunting and harassing these dolphins is illegal, although Durham warned that feeding, swimming with and chasing them can constitute harassment.

“It is against the law to do a lot of things with these animals,” she said, adding that the Coast Guard issued warnings while the dolphins were around last week.

But boaters, fisherman and onlookers have largely not interfered with the animals. Durham said a commercial fishing boat stopped work when the dolphins approached in Huntington Harbor, and law enforcement in Nassau and New York City didn’t report any problems.

On the other hand, the dolphins were not likely interfering with North Shore fisherman. In fact, Wise said they were feeding on Menhaden and Herring in the western portion of the Long Island Sound, which is restricted to fishing.

“Even if they’re chasing squid back up the western sound, they’re not interfering with commercial fishing activities,” Wise said. “I think the impact is probably minimal.”

Recreational fishermen are also unlikely to be impacted by the dolphins’ presence. Menhaden and squid are commonly used for bait, and there’s no lack of them in Long Island waters.

Wise also said that the presence of dolphins would not scare away Striped Bass or other local fish larger than the baitfish, nor would their feeding attract additional game fish.

“People might suggest that this is going to scare fish away or that it’s going to be a bonanza because there will be a lot stunned or torn up bait fish,” he said.