Video: Whale surprises Hamptons fisherman

A normal day of bass fishing in Napeague/Gardiners Bay in the Hamptons turned into something much more exciting over the weekend when Amagansett fishermen Erik Peterson and his brother received a real shock when what looked like a humpback whale appeared about a dozen yards away broke through away from his boat.

Peterson, a local physical therapist and avid fisherman, can be heard explaining that the boat was in a “bait ball” surrounded by marine life.

Thanks to conservation efforts to conserve the vital menhaden baitfish, also known as bunker, with coast-wide catch limits in recent years, whales are making a comeback, appearing closer to shore along with other wildlife such as sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and tuna.

Whale species found in local waters off the East End include humpback whales, fin whales (the second largest species of whale in the world after blue whales) and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, of which scientists estimate only 400 remain.

If you see an injured or stranded whale, call the NY Marine Rescue Center stranding hotline at 631-369-9829. Visit their website to learn more: nymarinerescue.org