Marine mammal rescuers operating on Vancouver Island have reported a surge in whale entanglements this summer. Paul Cottrell, who coordinates marine mammal efforts for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, stated that his team has been responding to approximately one to two entanglements per week for the past two months, aligning with figures from the previous year. Additionally, several necropsies have been conducted.
In the most recent incident, the team was called out for the third time in less than two weeks to assist a humpback whale calf and its mother near the south coast of Vancouver Island. The calf was entangled in over 100 meters of rope, which it had been towing since July 5 after going missing from B.C.’s central coast.
Cottrell’s team successfully freed the calf after a seven-hour operation, collaborating with U.S. counterparts for the rescue. This came after two consecutive days of disentangling operations, including one involving a whale named Wiggins near French Creek on Vancouver Island’s eastern coast.
The frequency of such entanglements is a growing concern, with no indications of a decline in rates. Cottrell highlighted the increasing presence of humpback whales in British Columbia’s inshore waters, attributing it to a positive trend known as the “humpback comeback.” However, he emphasized the worrisome overlap with inshore fishing gear.
Researcher and educator Jackie Hildering from the Marine Education and Research Society noted that conservation efforts have provided humpback whales with a “second chance” following near-extinction due to hunting. Despite this progress, Hildering expressed concerns about the ongoing entanglement challenges faced by the whales.
Hildering stressed the importance of prevention and education over reactive disentanglement efforts, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions. She urged for increased awareness on how to prevent humpback entanglements and deaths, advocating for participation in a whale-safe boating course developed by MERS and supported by the federal government.
