Gray whale found dead near Alcatraz as CA expands program to slow down ships

""We are not able to locate it. It probably drifted deep into the South Bay or we're hoping near a beach, so we can find out what happened," said Kathi George of the Marine Mammal Center."

""It's a really complex situation. We have lots of vessel traffic, and we have these whales coming into the bay for extended periods of time," George said."

""We've implemented the program mostly near shore in recent years, and now we're expanding to cover offshore habitat important to those migratory species," said Jess Morten of the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation."

A gray whale found dead near Alcatraz has raised concerns among marine experts about increased whale activity in San Francisco Bay. Typically, four to five whales are seen daily, but sightings surged to nine recently. Nine whales have died in Bay Area waters this year, with vessel strikes identified as a primary threat. The Marine Mammal Center is collaborating with various organizations to address these risks through the Blue Whales Blue Skies program, which is expanding to protect migratory species.

Read at ABC7 San Francisco