Experts warn 2026 could be one of the deadliest years on record for whales on the West Coast

A growing number of whale deaths along the West Coast has conservationists warning that 2026 could become one of the deadliest years on record for the marine mammals.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, 60 whales have died along the West Coast so far this year. Many of the deaths have been reported in Washington state and the San Francisco Bay area, though Southern California has also seen whale fatalities.

In February, a 30-foot dead humpback whale washed ashore near 11th Street in Newport Beach.

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Gray whales account for most of the recent deaths, according to experts. Ship strikes and other human activities are considered contributing factors. Last year, 24 whale deaths were attributed to ship strikes, and 33 whales were found entangled in fishing gear. Experts said the actual number of affected whales is likely higher.

Several of the dead whales also showed signs of poor nutrition. Experts said warming temperatures in the Arctic are affecting the ecosystem where many whales feed, reducing prey availability and forcing the animals to travel through areas with increased human activity.

“There’s much less prey for them, so they’ve undertaken this huge, long migration, and now they’re on their way back up to Alaska, but they’re looking for food, and they’re pretty desperate, so they’re ending up in these areas where there’s lots of ships, and there’s lots of fishing gear they have to traverse,” said Oceans Program Director Miyoko Sakashita. “It’s almost a deadly maze that they have to make it through.”

To help reduce ship strikes, the Center for Biological Diversity is urging the U.S. Coast Guard to implement a mandatory 10-knot speed limit in areas with high whale activity. The organization also supports wider use of “pop-up gear,” a type of fishing equipment designed without dangling ropes that can entangle whales.

If the current trend continues, 2026 could rank among the deadliest years for whales along the West Coast. It would be second only to 2019, when 122 whales were reported dead.