2025 Stranding Season is not over yet!

The stranding season doesn't seem to be over just yet.

Over the past 2 days, NECWA has responded to 3 dead torpedo rays. All adult females and all carcasses washed ashore near Corporation Beach, Dennis, MA. Two carcasses washed up east of the main parking lot at Corporation (after Dr. Lords) and one washed ashore west of the Corporation parking lot as you head towards BayView. All 3 carcasses appeared to be healthy and two had digested food in their stomachs.

Again we are not sure why these beautiful fish are stranding in the late fall and early winter, but we think it might have something to do with habitat shifts. Perhaps torpedo rays come into shallow water this time of the year, making them more susceptible to strandings on tidal flats when the tide goes out. Once high and dry, they are now impacted by cold air temperatures, even lower wind chill temps, and a lack of oxygen to their gills.

Once NECWA has concluded our internal and external exams (necropsy), we mark the carcass so we don't overcount the number of stranded animals. First we make a v-shape cut in the paddle tail and then we attach a yellow numbered NECWA tag on to its tail stock. 

Uncut torpedo ray tail

Cut torpedo ray tail

So if you see the cut tail and the yellow NECWA numbered tag, don't worry about contacting us for we have been there and gotten all the information that we need. However, if you find a torpedo ray carcass with its complete paddle-like tail and no tag around its tail stock, then please call the rescue number at 508-566-0009 to alert us to this carcass.

NECWA number tag

We want to thank everyone (NECWA staff, interns, volunteers, and community members) who has helped with rescues and necropsies this season. To date, NECWA has documented a total of 56 torpedo rays (live and dead). We and the community have rescued many live rays this season, but the majority of stranded rays were unfortunately dead when found.

To learn more about NECWA or to donate to support this important work, go to www.necwa.org. To volunteer with NECWA, complete the online form on our website.