A humpback whale that had been entangled by Dungeness crab fishing gear was recently freed in Monterey Bay, California, according to a media release from the Marine Life Studies, based in Moss Landing, California.
Whale watch crews first spotted the humpback whale entangled in commercial Dungeness crab gear in late May in Monterey Bay. The whale was seen trailing ropes and buoys with black and purple lines.
Poor weather prevented an immediate response, but additional sightings and photos in late June helped responders confirm it was the same whale and assess its worsening condition.
The whale was identified by an online database as a humpback with the nickname, ‘The Duchess of Anchovy.’ On July 10, whale watchers spotted the whale amongst other humpbacks near Moss Landing and guided Marine Life Studies’ authorized Whale Entanglement Team to it.
Responders attached telemetry gear so they could track the whale overnight in poor weather. Early the next morning, the team returned, slowed the whale with attached flotation, examined the entanglement and made three cuts in the lines. The gear then fell away, freeing the whale.
The whale was later seen feeding near Moss Landing. ‘This was a great example of collaboration both on and off the water,’ said Lauren Saez, who helped coordinate the response for NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
