Fish Tails/Whale Carcass

[captndan]

by the amount of oil that thing is producing, i would say it has to be a small whale. maybe a minkie. it would be cool if i was wrong though!

[shoefish]

The pec fins are so rigid, it does make it look like a big white shark. I don't think it's a humpback because the pecs are too short, I think minkies have much narrower pec fins. This is a good one. Do you remember if the bottom was smooth or if it had ridges that ran lengthwise? I wonder what the bulge could be from???

[Gusman]

I have never seen a floating shark....I could be wrong, but usually sharks sink....I think it is due to the fact that sharks do not have an air bladder. I vote that it is definately a whale, I just don't know what kind....

[shoefish]

Fountain 17-
Any response for this? I'm still curious to find out what the experts think this is.
Shoe

[fountain17]

Hey Shoe, This is what I got back from NMFS and a shark organization; kind of conflicting so who knows at this point.

Don

Mendy Garron
NOAA Fisheries

Hi Don,
Your message regarding the floating carcass off Montauk was forward to me. I work in the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program for NOAA Fisheries in the Northeast Region. Our program tracks floating carcasses offshore and often see video and photo footage similar to yours. Looking at the video, I do believe it is a shark, probably a basking shark. I did forward it to one of my co-workers to have them take a look at it also, but I'm certain it is a shark. We often see the liver bloat and float on shark carcasses like in your video and as you pointed out the pectoral flippers are similar to sharks compared to a whale. I will notify the local marine mammal stranding network in NY, Riverhead Foundation, in case they receive further reports of this carcass and can further document it. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for sharing the video footage! If you come across any other floating carcasses please call our stranding hotline at 978-281-9351.

Thanks again,
Mendy

Here is what I got from a guy at greatwhite.org

Hi Don,

Thanks for the links to see the videos.
It's really hard to tell from the video.


For a Basking Shark its head would be conical, which is hard to tell as
it
looks like the head is covered by an inverted stomach! Also the Basking
Shark is not white underneath.

It's really hard to tell given the limited video you have.

I would say no on it being a Great White, the Pectoral fins look too
long
and narrow and more whale like.

Sorry I could not be more help based on the footage.

Stuart

[shoefish]

Ha ha ha ha, I guess even the experts don't know sometimes. I guess we'll never know. It does still seem to me (as a completely uneducated, unqualified commentator) to be a white shark with those rigid pec fins and white belly....I just don't know what would kill a white of that size

Thanks for the follow up, and let us know if they say anything else.