Three North Atlantic right whales spotted entangled this month in U.S. waters
Three Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales Spotted Entangled in Fishing Gear
Three critically endangered North Atlantic right whales have been spotted entangled in fishing gear off the United States’ Eastern Seaboard this month, a number that a researcher says is “devastating but not unusual.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that two of the three whales, both young males, are expected to die as a result of their entanglement.
Entanglements and vessel strikes in U.S. and Canadian waters are the main causes of death of North Atlantic right whales, of which fewer than 400 remain in existence. These majestic animals travel to Atlantic Canadian waters primarily to feed, with a historic migration to the Bay of Fundy to consume plankton. However, due to changing ocean temperatures, they have gradually shifted their migration to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Aerial surveillance teams recently spotted a juvenile male whale on December 16th, approximately 100 kilometers off the coast of North Carolina, with several lines wrapping around its head and mouth. Additionally, on December 9th, an aerial survey crew identified two entangled whales—an adult female and a juvenile male—within close proximity to each other about 80 kilometers southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has stated that weather permitting, their entanglement response teams will closely monitor the entangled whales and assess the possibility of conducting a rescue operation to free these majestic creatures.
Challenging and Dangerous Rescue Efforts
Heather Pettis, a research scientist at the New England Aquarium in Boston, expressed that the recent sightings of three entangled whales in just one month are distressing but unfortunately not uncommon. The juvenile whale identified in North Carolina marks the 10th entangled whale sighting in 2024, highlighting the ongoing threats faced by these endangered animals.
Mackie Greene, co-founder and director of the Campobello Whale Rescue program at the Canadian Whale Institute, emphasized the challenging and perilous nature of disentanglement efforts. Rescue teams, typically comprised of three to four individuals, must carefully approach the entangled whales to cut away the tangled ropes. Despite the whales not being aggressive, they can become startled during rescue attempts and may dive deeper into the water, complicating the rescue process.
Greene highlighted the risks involved in disentanglement efforts, citing the tragic death of Joe Howlett, co-founder of the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, who lost his life while attempting to rescue a North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2017.
To successfully free entangled whales, near-perfect conditions are required. Rescue crews employ various techniques, including slowing the whale down by grappling with the entangled ropes, attaching buoys to keep the whale closer to the surface, and using long poles with knives to cut the tangled lines. Greene emphasized the difficulties of accessing the mouth area of right whales, where many entanglements occur, and the need for swift action due to the whales’ brief surface appearances before diving back underwater.
Greene’s organization, which focuses on rescuing various whale species along Canada’s East Coast, has received numerous calls regarding entangled whales this year. As of October, scientists reported five confirmed deaths of North Atlantic right whales in 2024, with causes ranging from entanglements to vessel strikes.
