Marine mammal rescue teams operating on Vancouver Island have reported a surge in whale entanglements this summer. Paul Cottrell, overseeing marine mammals at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, disclosed that his team has been responding to an average of one to two entanglements weekly over the past two months, consistent with last year’s figures. Additionally, they have conducted several necropsies during this period.
In the most recent incident, a humpback whale calf and its mother were discovered entangled in over 100 meters of rope near Vancouver Island’s south coast. The calf had been ensnared by the rope since July 5, having gone missing from British Columbia’s central coast. The team, in collaboration with U.S. counterparts, spent seven hours freeing the calf, marking the third activation in under two weeks.
Cottrell highlighted the escalating frequency of entanglements, attributing it to the increasing presence of humpback whales in British Columbia’s inshore waters. He described the situation as a mix of success with the humpback population rebounding and a concerning rise in entanglements due to interactions with fishing gear.
Jackie Hildering, a researcher at the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS), emphasized the critical need for conservation efforts to safeguard humpback whales, which faced near-extinction from historical hunting. Despite progress, she expressed concerns over the ongoing entanglement issues, noting that a significant portion of whales she has documented showed signs of past entanglements.
Hildering stressed the importance of prevention and education in addressing entanglement threats, advocating for proactive measures to mitigate risks to whale populations. She urged individuals to undergo whale-safe boating training provided by MERS, endorsed by the federal government, to enhance awareness and reduce the incidence of entanglements and fatalities.
Overall, the challenges of entanglements underscore the ongoing efforts required to protect marine mammal populations and ensure their long-term survival.