SAN FRANCISCO—Humpback whales are often spotted during migration months from May to November. Citizens have been reporting a rise in humpback whale sightings off the coast near San Francisco. According to the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, 115 whales were seen in a 1 hour study off the Farallon Islands on July 4.
Whales have also been sighted from planes arriving at the San Francisco Airport. Hikers traveling along the Lands End hike have also seen them close to the shore.
The Greater Fallarones National Marine Sanctuary has issued a warning to all recreational and commercial boaters: All vessels must stay at least 300 feet away from these endangered animals, and boats must slow down to 10 knots when coming near San Francisco.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 protects 125 species of marine mammals within the waters of the United States. This includes multiple species of whales, seals, sea otters, manatees, porpoises and dolphins. The act prohibits actions which “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct” with these animals.
The Greater Fallarones National Marine Sanctuary is one of the 13 US sanctuaries that protects marine environments. It has jurisdiction over the outer limits of San Francisco starting from the Golden Gate Bridge and extending to the Gulf of Fallarones, which is about 1,250 square meters.
In addition to the humpbacks, there has been a increase in sightings of other whale species throughout the coast of California; pilot whales were seen in San Diego in March. There have also been East Coast reports of alleged whale and shark sighting spikes in New Jersey in June.
