This past summer, a group of dolphins visited the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers and for some reason, have remained there during the winter season rather than return to their ocean home. This is an unusual circumstance that has occurred twice before in the same river system, in 1993 and 2001. Unfortunately, on both of those occasions, the animals did not survive the ice and cold of winter.

This time, we had hoped things would be different. However, the recent spate of cold weather has caused the rivers to begin freezing over and now it is likely too late to try to intervene to prevent the animals from an almost certain death. In fact, marine mammal experts said there have been no recent sightings and the few remaining dolphins may already be dead.

What is most troubling is that this result could possibly have been prevented if the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had not blocked all attempts to save these dolphins.

In December, I urged NOAA, which has jurisdiction in this case, to develop a plan to safely remove the dolphins. NOAA refused to take action despite the fact that several dolphin rehabilitation groups based in Florida had offered to fully fund an effort to provide professionals, equipment, transportation and a rehabilitation facility to safely evaluate and ultimately transport the animals back to their ocean home. At the time, NOAA stated that the dolphins were healthy and eating, and declined the assistance.

After some experts raised a concern that the Route 36 Highlands bridge construction may be obstructing the dolphins' return to the sea, I received a commitment from the contractor to temporarily halt construction to allow the dolphins safe passage. I then reiterated my call for NOAA to take action to encourage the dolphins to head back to sea before winter was in full force. Still NOAA declined to act.

The results of NOAA's decision have been tragic for the river dolphins. The first dolphin died in September of pneumonia. A second dolphin died Oct. 8. In December, following another death, NOAA dolphin researchers evaluated the remaining dolphins and documented weight loss in eight of the 12 dolphins. They also stated that additional deaths and/or strandings were likely as winter progressed. Sadly, it seems that their predictions have come true.

Despite the likely tragic results in this situation, it is encouraging to see the tremendous outpouring of support for saving these dolphins, not just from environmentalists, but also from concerned citizens who did not want to see history repeat and watch another group of dolphins die while NOAA did nothing.

Neither I nor any other group pretends to have the solution to save these dolphins from death, if they are indeed still alive. We are simply asking that we try something different from the failed strategy of inaction employed in 1993 and 2001. Unfortunately, time may have already run out.
Sen. Sean T. Kean
R-11th District