A crew from Brigantine’s Marine Mammal Stranding Center spent most of the day Aug. 17 in Barnegat Light, working to recover what is believed to be a deceased endangered and federally protected female fin whale from the surf near 11th Street.

At about 8 a.m. Monday, the whale was reported drifting in the surf after having been spotted more than 24 hours before floating about 1.5 miles off the coast of the Island, the MMSC said in a statement.