Marine mammal rescuers operating on Vancouver Island have reported a hectic summer dealing with whale entanglements. Paul Cottrell, the marine mammal coordinator at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, disclosed that his team has been responding to approximately one to two entanglements per week over the past two months, consistent with last year’s figures. They have also conducted several necropsies during this period.
In the most recent incident, which occurred last week, the team was called in for the third time in less than two weeks. They encountered a humpback whale calf along the south coast of Vancouver Island, entangled in over 100 meters of rope with its mother. Tracking the gear revealed that the calf had been dragging the rope since July 5, when it went missing from British Columbia’s central coast.
Cottrell’s team spent seven hours collaborating with U.S. counterparts to successfully free the trapped calf. This rescue effort followed two previous entanglement cases in quick succession. The team had to disentangle a whale named Wiggins for the second time in a year near French Creek on the east coast of Vancouver Island before rushing to the central Island and the Alberni Inlet for another entanglement operation.
Cottrell expressed concern over the increasing frequency of these incidents, with no signs of entanglement rates decreasing. He highlighted the co-occurrence of rising humpback populations in British Columbia’s inshore waters and the heightened risk of entanglement due to fishing gear.
Jackie Hildering, a researcher and educator at the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS), noted that conservation efforts have provided humpback whales with a “second chance” after being hunted to near extinction. However, she expressed worries about the missed opportunities in safeguarding these majestic creatures. Hildering emphasized the urgency of prevention and education in combating entanglement issues, underscoring the significance of long-term survival post-disentanglement.
She urged the public to prioritize prevention and education, advocating for participation in MERS’ whale safe boating course endorsed by the federal government. Hildering stressed that while disentanglements generate positive headlines, a more comprehensive approach is essential to safeguard whales effectively.
