Rye, N.H.
A boat struck a whale off New Hampshire's coast, leaving a deep gash as sightseers aboard three whale-watching boats snapped photos.The finback whale, about 60 feet long, suffered a 3-foot-long gash in its side and other smaller cuts, but it didn't appear to be seriously hurt, the Coast Guard said. Finbacks are a federally protected endangered species.
The driver of the 24-foot boat reported the whale strike, Coast Guard Petty Officer Karinne Spethman said. The investigation is continuing.
Violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act are punishable by up to a year in prison or a $25,000 fine, according to Michael Henry, a special agent with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He said charges would require proof that the act was intentional or neglectful.
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