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1 U.S. Department of Commerce I National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration I National Marine Fisheries Service
Are reports of large whale entanglements increasing?
Over the last few years NOAA Fisheries has responded to an increasing number of large whale
entanglements reported to the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network and Large Whale
Entanglement Response Network. In 2017, a total of 31 whales were confirmed entangled off the coasts of
California, Oregon, and Washington. 2016 saw 48 confirmed cases and 2015 saw 50 cases, the highest
annual totals for the West Coast Region since NOAA Fisheries started keeping records in 1982. Between
2000 and 2013, the average was about 10 confirmed whale entanglements reported per year.
Entanglement reports may be increasing for a number of reasons including: increasing whale populations,
changes in the distribution of fishing effort, changes in the patterns of distribution and movements of
whales, and increased public awareness of whale entanglements and reporting procedures. Many of these
potential causing factors are, in turn, influenced to some degree by environmental conditions. For example,
the late opening of the Dungeness crab fishing season in California in 2016 likely influenced the distribution
and concentration of gear in certain areas where whales also congregate.
2 U.S. Department of Commerce I National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration I National Marine Fisheries Service
When and where are the entanglements happening?
Reports in 2017 originated all along the West Coast, but were concentrated in central and southern
California. However, entanglement report locations may not reflect where the entanglement originally
occurred.
If responders can confirm that the entanglement is not a threat to the whale’s survival, and/or the whale is
likely to shed the gear on its own, responders may monitor the situation, particularly in dangerous
conditions, rather than attempt disentanglement. Responders may collect photos and video to identify the
whale in the future, document any injuries from the entanglement, and/or take a small biopsy of skin and fat
to genetically identify the population that whale belongs to, as well as to identify the individual in case it is
ever found dead.
3 U.S. Department of Commerce I National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration I National Marine Fisheries Service
What are the risks to the disentanglement team?
Whales are wild animals that have unpredictable behaviors. The size and power of large whales create
risks to the disentanglement team when they closely approach whales in small vessels to document and
remove entangling gear. In addition, the tools used for disentanglements, such as specialized knives, lines,
and large buoys, can also present dangers for responders, including being pulled overboard. The
techniques that have been developed over the last 40 years rely on working from a small inflatable boat,
with hooked knives on long poles that keep responders at a safe distance from the whale and reduce risks.
Even so, accidents do still occur and even trained responders have been injured or killed.
For the annual summary and additional information, visit the NOAA Fisheries website at:
http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/marine_mammals/disentanglement_network.ht
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4 U.S. Department of Commerce I National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration I National Marine Fisheries Service