NOAA Responds to the First Whale Entanglement of the Season

Humpback calf gets tangled in fishing gear

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By Megan Edge

Story Created: May 2, 2012 at 4:08 PM AKDT

Story Updated: May 2, 2012 at 4:15 PM AKDT

ALASKA – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) responded to its first whale entanglement of the season.

Tuesday morning an Alaska sea plane pilot spotted two humbacks trailing an orange buoy in Young Bay, near Admiralty Island. Later that afternoon marine mammal experts from NOAA headed to Southeast Alaska to untangle the calf from fishing gear.

They were able to attach a telemetry tag to the trailing fishing gear to see where the whales went over night.

Early Wednesday morning data showed the calf had traveled about 50 nautical miles and a large circle back to where it had been tagged. The response team located the tag Wednesday morning, but it was no longer attached to the whale.

NOAA recovered roughly 300 feet of fishing line and buoys that appeared to be personal crabbing gear.

The team was never able to re-sight the fishing gear.

If you see a marine mammal in distress, you are asked to report it to NOAA as soon as possible by calling (877) 925-7773.


 

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