The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries is advising boaters in Connecticut and New York to be on the lookout for humpback whales in Long Island Sound.
NOAA says boaters and fishermen have reported seeing the whales in the far western stretch of the Sound over the last few days. There are believed to be multiple humpbacks close to shore feeding on small fish.
NOAA advises boaters to follow its guidelines for viewing whales, including staying 100 feet away from them.
NOAA says humpbacks create bubble clouds to corral their prey and then lunge through the center to swallow the small fish. Fishermen or boaters in these bubble patches run the risk of colliding with a whale as it rapidly approaches the surface. The collision can gravely injure the whale.
