Stranding Report 2007
Ocean Sunfish - Mola mola
Mashnee Island, MA, November 28, 2007
The day after Thanksgiving, NECWA received a call from Theresa about a dead ocean 
sunfish that had stranded on Mashnee Island on the Cape side of Bourne. Theresa was taking an afternoon stroll on the beach with her dog and her family when they came upon the dead ocean sunfish on the Phinney’s Harbor side of the island. Theresa made a few calls on her cell phone and was finally able to connect with NECWA staff in order to provide information about the stranding.
After learning the importance of photo documentation for stranding events, Theresa returned later that day to photograph the dead ocean sunfish. That evening, Theresa went to the NEBShark web site to submit online the sighting information as well as the digital photographs.
Two days later on November 25th, NECWA staff traveled to Mashnee Island to locate this animal in order to collect additional information. Staff members measured the length and width of the body as well as the fins and took additional photographs to supplement those that Theresa had provided. As it turned out, this was a large ocean sunfish that was greater than 6 feet in length.
NECWA would like to thank Theresa for her time and effort. The information collected from this stranded animal will be inputted into the NEBShark database and will help scientists better understand the biology and life history of this very special and very large coastal pelagic fish.
Ocean Sunfish - Mola mola
Cape Cod Canal entrance, November 14, 2007
On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, Anne and Paul from Sandwich discovered a dead ocean sunfish washed ashore on Sandwich beach, just south of the east entrance to the Cape Cod Canal. Paul and Anne reported this animal to the stranding center at the New England Aquarium and their staff passed on the information to NECWA staff involved with the NEBShark Project. The ocean sunfish was reported to be below the high tide mark and therefore, would probably refloat on the next high tide.
On Friday of that week, NECWA staff called Paul to get more 
information about the dead ocean sunfish. The next day, staff members headed down to Sandwich Beach to see if they could relocate this animal. Luckily, the carcass was exactly where Paul and Anne had indicated allowing NECWA biologists to collect important information on the carcass including its length - over 5 and 1/2 feet - and its overall condition - moderately decomposed. Gulls and other scavengers had picked at the right eye that was exposed. The eye socket was empty and was filled with sea water and stones. The carcass was too badly decomposed to conduct a necropsy, the animal version of an autopsy.
Since this animal is not close to any residence nor is it a public safety hazard, it will probably remain on the beach until the tide floats it away. This ocean sunfish probably weighs over 300 pounds so removing it from the beach would require heavy machinery. However, NECWA staff took many measurements and photos of the carcass and this information will be shared with local government and non-government organizations in the area.
Strandings of dead ocean sunfish are sad events, but they do happen for a number of different reasons. Perhaps this animal was sick and died offshore or perhaps this animal got pushed onto the beach during a storm. Although unfortunate, this carcass and the information collected on this animal will help scientists better understand the biology of this majestic sea creature.
Stranding of 6 common dolphins
Quincy, MA, January 14th, 2007
In the early morning hours of January 14th, 2007, a group of 8 common dolphins Delphinus delphis stranded on a beach in Quincy, MA. Early 
reports indicated that 2 of the animals had been pushed back into the water leaving 6 animals remaining on the beach.
Common dolphins have a beautiful and elaborate body coloration consisting of a crisscross or hourglass color pattern on each side. Because of the shape of this pattern, they are also referred to as the saddleback dolphin. The common dolphin is a medium-sized dolphin that can reach lengths of 7.5 - 8.5 feet - 2.3 - 2.6 m. These animals can weigh up to 300 pounds and this poses a challenge to responders when they try to move or relocate an individual dolphin stranded on the beach.
Staff from both the New England Aquarium Stranding Program - NEAq Stranding Program - and the Cape Cod Stranding Network (CCSN) responded to this mass stranding event. Both organizations worked together to monitor and oversee activities by stranding volunteers on the beach. Staff members from NECWA and Captain John Boats as well as interns from Bridgewater State College assisted at this stranding event and provided additional support on the beach.
Unfortunately, when NECWA staff arrived on scene, all 6 common dolphins had died. These animals were removed from the beach using canvas stretchers. The bodies of the dolphins were to be stored in freezers at facilities associated with both the NEAq Stranding Program and the CCSN. These organizations intend to necropsy, a type of animal examination or autopsy, each of the 6 carcasses in the hopes of determining the cause of the stranding.
During necropsies, biologists and scientists carefully examine the body and collect numerous tissues and body samples. Information obtained from necropsies often provide information on the cause of the stranding event. And data obtained from these examinations will also help scientists better understand the biology and life history of the common dolphin.
Dead Minke Whale, floating in Cape Cod Bay
Massachusetts Bay, June 15th, 2007
On June 15th, 2007 the Captain and crew of the Capt. John & Son IV, a commercial 
whale watching boat owned by Captain John Boats, spotted a dead whale floating at the water’s surface as they were heading back from their 9 am whale watch. This carcass was spotted in Massachusetts Bay, less than 12 miles from Gurnet Point.
Upon closer inspection, Captain Brian Bradley and naturalist Carol “Krill” Carson were able to confirm that this was a minke whale, the smallest baleen whale that commonly feeds in the waters off New England. The carcass was bloated due to the accumulation of gases from decomposition and was floating belly making the ventral pleats quite visible.
Krill is the Educational Outreach Coordinator
for
Captain John Boats and is also a staff member with NECWA. With the help of
captain and crew, Krill was able to collect important sighting information
and photographs of the carcass. From those preliminary observations, it appeared
that fishing line was present in the mouth of the animal and then trailed behind
the body.
This sighting information was provided to the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Cape Cod Stranding Network. Later that day, the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies was able to examine the carcass and removed the fishing line in an attempt to determine cause of death and identify the gear type.
Although finding a carcass offshore is always a difficult and emotional event, documenting their presence and notifying the appropriate agencies is important in conservation issues related to marine wildlife. This information will help scientists and managers better understand the causes of mortality for wild populations of marine animals and therefore, better protect and conserve the unique marine wildlife that come to feed offshore. Although the minke whale is not listed as an endangered species, it is a common baleen whale that comes into our New England waters each spring, summer and fall to feed on small schooling fish. However, scientists know little about their biology and ecology in the waters of the western North Atlantic.
