The Marine Animal Entanglement Response team (MAER) at the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) disentangled a humpback whale within the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary yesterday afternoon. The whale was heavily anchored in fishing gear and was freed after a nearly two-hour operation.
Late Friday morning recreational boaters came across an entangled whale and attempted to free it. Once they realized the dangers of that attempt they called the CCS whale disentanglement hotline after returning to shore. The MAER team mounted a response and found a relatively large humpback whale anchored in fishing gear.
The team deployed a small inflatable boat and made a full assessment of the whale’s entanglement and its injuries. Using grappling hooks and hook-shaped knives on long poles, the team systematically removed the entanglement. Once freed the whale dove and swam off quickly.
This was the second whale disentanglement for the MAER team in a week, the first was on Wednesday off Rockport, MA. In both cases, the whales were aided by Good Samaritan boaters who reported the sightings. Entanglement in fishing gear is the leading cause of injury and mortality for many whale and sea turtle species. Federally-permitted and authorized disentanglement offers individual whales a better chance at survival while adding to needed information that will be useful in preventing entanglements.
All mariners are urged to keep an eye out for entangled whales and sea turtles, report the sighting immediately (by calling the CCS hotline: 1-800-900-3622 or hailing the US Coast Guard on channel 16) and stand by the entangled animal at a safe distance until responders arrive.
CCS disentanglement work is supported in part by grants from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA-DMF), the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and private foundations and donors. All disentanglement activities are conducted under a federal permit authorized by NOAA.
Click here for video from boat.