Humpback freed in Canadian Waters

Humpback freed in Canadian Waters

(Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA) - A humpback whale was freed from a severe entanglement in fishing gear in Canadian waters, off of Grand Manan Island today, around 9:30 a.m.

The entanglement involved 2 body wraps with several lines twisted together around the body of the whale, approximately 7 or 8 wraps of line around the left flipper, and a line through the whale's mouth. After 60 minutes and approximately 35 cuts through thick line, rescuers were able to free the whale from the extensive entanglement.

The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies (PCCS) sent Scott Landry to assist Mackie Green of Campobello Whale Rescue. Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Campobello Whale Rescue, and PCCS, coordinated a plan to disentangle the whale. High seas prevented the team from reaching the entangled animal yesterday, and although temperatures were below freezing today, a small weather window this morning, allowed the rescuers to reach the whale.

The whale was estimated to be approximately 40 ft long and was tentatively identified as a known individual at time of the entanglement. Images of the flukes were taken and will be brought to the PCCS Marine Laboratory to confirm the identification of the whale. Images will be compared to the individuals identified in the Gulf of Maine humpback whale population catalogue, which the PCCS curates. Annually, between 48% and 65% of the sampled animals from the Gulf of Maine of humpback population exhibit scaring indicative of an entanglement in their lifetime. And, 10-25% of animals sampled from the Gulf of Maine humpbacks will acquire new scars from entanglements each year.

The entanglement was reported to the Grand Manan Fishermen's Association by a fisherman yesterday, who spotted the whale caught in two sets of trap fishing gear, around 1:00 p.m. The Association notified DFO and the Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network (ALWDN). The fisherman stayed with the whale long enough to determine that it was anchored in place.

The fisherman who reported this entanglement is to be commended. Only three percent of all entangled humpbacks are reported to authorities annually. ALWDN which PCCS coordinates, is a network of trained responders who carry out disentanglement activities along the East Coast of the United States and Canada. The success of disentanglement operations rests largely on the cooperation and reports received from fishermen, whale watchers, researchers, state and federal agencies, and the general public.

The DFO Grand Manan program vessel was used to transport rescuers to the location and made the disentanglement efforts possible. Fishery Officers from DFO Joe Greenlaw and Cameron Ingersol also assisted in the efforts. Humpbacks remain listed as an endangered species in the United States.

The Network

The ALWDN includes 20 first responder teams along the East Coast and coordinates emergency responses to benefit the welfare of individual whales and collects scientific information about the causes and effects of entanglement. With the exception of those in Canada, all teams work under the direction and authority of the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies which holds a federal permit to conduct disentanglement operations. Most team members work on an unpaid, volunteer basis.

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The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies is a private non-profit organization founded in 1976, dedicated to researching and protecting marine mammals and marine habitats in the Gulf of Maine through applied research, conservation, environmental and education programs. Our disentanglement team coordinates whale rescue efforts along the East Coast of the United States.

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Please consider a donation to this organization and support their life saving work of marine life rescue, research and protection of the ecosystem through their website.