Are offshore windfarms killing whales?

A noticeable rise in mysticete mortalities in and around New Jersey concurrent with the increase in activities associated with offshore windfarm development has excited speculation that the windfarm development is at cause of the strandings. Various competing and sometimes countervailing interests have taken up an array of narratives on what is occurring, so inquiry into the topic is fraught with speculation and motives. This presentation will examine the conditions, circumstances, and motives of the 2022–2023 Jersey Shores “Unusual Mortality Event” (UME) with the objective of stimulating open conversation about this event—toward avoiding reoccurrences of similar events, and similar discussions.