Two North Atlantic Right Whales Entangled in Fishing Gear Off Nantucket, One “Likely to Die”
Oceana demands that the U.S. and Canadian governments increase safeguards for this critically endangered species
Press Release Date: December 18, 2024
Location: Washington, DC/Ottawa, Canada
Contact:
Megan Jordan, Erin Vande Ven | email: mjordan@oceana.org, EVandeVen@oceana.org | tel: 202.868.4061, 303.829.3877
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported two North Atlantic right whales were seen entangled in fishing gear 50 miles southeast off Nantucket, Massachusetts. North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered, with only around 370 whales remaining. Fishing gear entanglements and boat strikes are top threats to this species.
The first entangled whale has been identified as #5110, a juvenile male most recently seen gear-free in April of this year. He is currently entangled by a thick line that crosses over his head and around his back — NOAA has determined that this whale is “likely to die from this injury.” The second entangled right whale is known as, #4120, a 13-year-old female. She was spotted with two lines coming out of her mouth and extending down her body. NOAA said they will continue to monitor the situation to determine response options and, if weather and sea conditions allow, efforts will be made to attempt disentanglement.
In response to the news, Oceana released the following statements:
Gib Brogan, campaign director at Oceana in the United States:
“Fishing rope doesn’t 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. Fishing gear entanglements are gruesome — they can make it harder for whales to eat, swim, and breed. Ropes cause deep wounds that can cut off fins and tails, or lead to infections so severe that the whale dies. These whales are not statistics, they are living beings enduring unimaginable suffering caused by human activities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is long overdue for establishing effective safeguards for North Atlantic right whales that prevent entanglements and simultaneously allow fisheries to operate in a truly sustainable way. NOAA’s 2029 plans for new protections from entanglements should include robust alternatives to remove vertical rope from the water in times and places whales are expected and detected, and allow the use of ropeless gear in areas closed to traditional gear, so that both whales and fishers can thrive. The real question is: will new protections be implemented before it’s too late?”
Kim Elmslie, campaign director at Oceana in Canada:
“We recently celebrated the birth of three calves, yet now face the devastating news of two entangled right whales: a juvenile male and an adult female. Both were seen gear free earlier this year, making their entanglement even more alarming. Since 1980, over 1,617 entanglements have been documented based on scarring or attached gear, a direct result of weak regulations that fail to protect whales from fishing gear. Today, 86% of right whales bear scars from entanglements, and even minor incidents can cause life-threatening injuries and compromise their ability to reproduce.
We are calling on Fisheries and Oceans Canada to urgently accelerate the transition to ropeless fishing gear in the areas that pose the greatest threat of entanglement. This effort will protect an iconic and critically endangered species and safeguard access to U.S. markets for Canadian seafood products. Without meaningful protection, more right whales will be entangled, accelerating their path towards extinction.”
Background
North Atlantic right whales were a frequent target of whalers as they were often found near shore, swim slowly, and tend to float when killed. They were aggressively hunted, and their population dropped from peak estimates of up to 21,000 to perhaps fewer than 100 by the 1920s. After whaling of North Atlantic right whales was banned in 1935, their population increased to as many as 483 individuals in 2010. Unfortunately, that progress has reversed.
Collisions with boats is a leading cause of North Atlantic right whale injury and death. They are slow, swimming around 6 miles (or 9.5 kilometres) per hour, usually near the water’s surface. They are also dark in color and lack a dorsal fin, making them very difficult to spot. Studies have found that the speed of a vessel is a major factor in vessel-related collisions with North Atlantic right whales. At high speeds, vessels cannot maneuver to avoid them, and they swim too slowly to be able to move out of the way. This puts them at great risk of being struck, which can cause deadly injuries from blunt-force trauma or cuts from propellers.
Entanglements in fishing gear used to catch lobster, crab, and other species is another leading cause of North Atlantic right whale deaths. Around one-quarter of the population is entangled in fishing gear from the U.S. and Canada each year, and about 85% have been entangled at least once. Ropes have been seen wrapped around their mouths, fins, tails, and bodies, which slow them down; make it difficult to swim, reproduce, and feed; and can cause death. The lines cut into the whales’ flesh, leading to life-threatening infections, and are so strong that they have severed fins and tails, and cut into bone.
A national poll of American voters conducted in 2024 found that an overwhelming majority support stronger protections for North Atlantic right whales. The poll found that 86% of American voters agree that North Atlantic right whales should be protected from human-caused threats to help prevent their extinction, and 83% agree that ocean activities that endanger North Atlantic right whales, like shipping, boating, and vertical-line fishing, should be adapted to protect them. Eight in ten respondents are in favor of the U.S. government making policy changes to save North Atlantic right whales from going extinct. Oceana’s poll, conducted by the nonpartisan polling company Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®, surveyed 1,053 registered U.S. voters from June 28 to 30, 2024.
To learn more about Oceana’s binational campaign to save North Atlantic right whales, click here.
