WET® Frees entangled humpback on 4/17/17 with partner, the monterey Bay National marine Sanctuary
On April 17, 2017 humpback whale was entangled in crab fishing gear. We were able to successfully disentangle the whale along with our WET® partner, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It is such a feeling of joy to watch a whale swim free again.
Buoys are dragging behind the humpback whale in the first photo. They are attached with a line that runs up to the left side of the whale through the mouth. On the second photo, you can see the grapple hook being thrown to grab the trailing line. The team grabs the line and pull themselves up to the whale to cut the gear. A small amount of line was left in the mouth, but it would soon pull through similar to dental floss.
Buoys are dragging behind the humpback whale in the first photo. They are attached with a line that runs up to the left side of the whale through the mouth. On the second photo, you can see the grapple hook being thrown to grab the trailing line. The team grabs the line and pull themselves up to the whale to cut the gear. A small amount of line was left in the mouth, but it would soon pull through similar to dental floss.
How you can help if you see an entangled whale:
Report immediately, call 877-SOS-WHALE (877-767-9425) or hail the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF CH-16.
If possible, please stay with the animal while maintaining 100 yards distance from the animal. Authorized personnel will guide you as what to do next.
If possible, please stay with the animal while maintaining 100 yards distance from the animal. Authorized personnel will guide you as what to do next.
Provide the following information to help authorized responders:
All photos are copyrighted. Photos taken under the MMHSRP Permit. The Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® is part of the West Coast Large Whale Entanglement Response Network.
Learn more about WET® and how you can help.
- Note the nature of the entanglement, location of the entanglement on the whale's body (i.e. a blue line wrapped around the tail (fluke) and wrapped around body by dorsal fin, description of the gear trailing (i.e. buoys if any and the number and color of the buoys, line or other gear trailing with approximate distance behind the whale the gear is trailing).
- Relay the whale's exact location (be as specific as possible, include latitude and longitude if available). Did you know you can get your exact location with your smart phone. Click to learn how.
- Other details such as is the animal swimming (speed and direction the animal is heading, is it diving or staying on the surface, is it breathing). One of the important keys to the success of freeing a whale from a life-threatening entanglement is to have someone standing by until one of our Whale Entanglement Team members arrives.
- If you are able, while maintaining 100 yards from the whale, please take high-resolution photographs of the whale including: the right and left side of the animal including the dorsal fin, the head and back on both sides, the area between the dorsal fin and the fluke (tail), the underside of the fluke if the animal is diving (if it dives it will raise its fluke vertically above the water and the underside of that fluke is a unique pattern that we can identify individual animals, like a human fingerprint), and any trailing gear or buoys.
All photos are copyrighted. Photos taken under the MMHSRP Permit. The Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® is part of the West Coast Large Whale Entanglement Response Network.
Learn more about WET® and how you can help.