1 of 2 | North Atlantic right whale #5110, a juvenile male, shown during a recent aerial survey with a fishing line wrapped around his head and body on December 9. NOAA Fisheries biologists say the whale is “seriously injured” and will likely die. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries, under NOAA permit #27066.
Two endangered whales have been discovered entangled in fishing line off the coast of Massachusetts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday, as biologists warned one of the whales is “likely to die.”
NOAA said the pair of North Atlantic right whales was found during an aerial survey on Dec. 9, approximately 50 miles southeast of Nantucket. Advertisement
NOAA Fisheries biologists said a juvenile male, #5110, has a thick line that passes across his head and once across his back, leaving him “seriously injured” and likely to die.
A second whale is identified as an adult female, #4120, with two lines exiting the left side of her mouth with both lines extending a half to two thirds down the whale’s body. The second whale’s injury is not believed to be lethal.
“We recently celebrated the birth of three whale calves this season yet now face the devastating news of two critically entangled right whales: a juvenile male ‘likely to die’ and an adult female,” said Kim Elmslie, campaign director at Oceana in Canada. “Both were seen gear free earlier this year, making their entanglement even more alarming.”
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#BREAKING: Two critically endangered #NorthAtlanticRightWhales entangled in fishing gear off Nantucket, one "likely to die." In spite of recent good news of three right whale calves already this season, this species continues to face tragedy. Read more: https://t.co/P6rOZLydxn pic.twitter.com/ufI6BZT3lz— Oceana Canada (@OceanaCAN) December 18, 2024
NOAA said it is currently monitoring the federally protected whales and will determine “if entanglement responses will be possible.”
“Entanglement response teams did not mount a response after the initial sighting because of the time of day and the distance of the whales from shore. As conditions permit, we will work with authorized responders and trained experts to monitor the whales,” NOAA Fisheries wrote Tuesday in a post on X.
There are currently 370 right whales facing daily threats of entanglement, according to Oceana. The whales spend early winter in Cape Cod Bay before migrating every year to give birth off the coasts of Georgia and Florida. The right whale population dropped 25% between 2010 and 2020.
In October, another North Atlantic right whale died from “chronic entanglement.”
According to NOAA, right whales are approaching extinction with the primary cause of death related to entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes in both U.S. and Canadian waters. Advertisement
Oceana is demanding the U.S. and Canadian governments increase safeguards to protect the whales, including making ropeless fishing gear mandatory.
“Fishing rope does not belong around a whale — yet two whales are suffering today from human cause. While we remain hopeful for a positive outcome for these two North Atlantic right whales, entanglement means thick ropes, tied so tightly around the body, that the rope cuts into flesh and bone,” Gib Brogan, campaign director at Oceana in the United States, said in a statement.
“Fishing gear entanglements are gruesome — they can make it harder for whales to eat, swim and breed,” Brogan added. “Ropes cause deep wounds that can cut off fins or tails, or lead to infections so severe the whale dies.”
