Two North Atlantic right whales, a critically endangered species with about 370 individuals, have been spotted entangled in fishing gear southeast of Nantucket, raising alarm among scientists and advocates.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the whales — a young male and an adolescent female — were first observed on Dec. 9 about 50 miles offshore of the island. Researchers have long emphasized that any entanglements are a major threat.
“North Atlantic right whales continue to be entangled at levels that could push this critically endangered species to extinction,” said Amy Knowlton, a senior scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium.
She said it is “distressing” that multiple generations of right whales have been affected by entanglements, “which is resulting in deaths, health declines, and slower reproductive rates.”
Both entangled whales are listed by number in the North Atlantic right whale catalog, an accounting of all right whales scientists have encountered, maintained by the aquarium.
NOAA Fisheries biologists have identified the two whales as No. 5110, a 3-year-old male, and No. 4120, a 13-year-old female. Neither has yet received a name — scientists name about 20 whales each year, based on physical features or scars.
Young male’s entanglement appears life-threatening
The male — whose mother, Binary has been entangled multiple times herself — was last seen without any gear in April but is now towing a thick fishing line that crosses over his head and around his back. NOAA biologists fear this whale is “likely to die from this injury.”
The female, meanwhile, is now struggling with her third known entanglement. She was spotted with two lines trailing from her mouth and extending along her body.
Researchers fear the repeated entanglement could affect the female’s ability to reproduce. Right whales generally become reproductively mature around age 10, but another concerning trend among the animals is that environmental stressors such as entanglements, boat strikes and a warming ocean are resulting in delayed and less frequent reproduction.
Any attempts to help disentangle the whales will depend on locating them and the conditions at sea. Whale disentanglements, generally undertaken by a marine animal entanglement response team at the Provincetown-based Center for Coastal Studies, are highly dangerous and require relatively calm conditions.
The team was not immediately available to comment Wednesday on any plans for the two whales.
Frequent visitors to Cape Cod Bay
Every year, right whales visit Cape Cod Bay to feed and socialize from, roughly, November to April. So far this season, the center’s right whale ecology program team, which conducts surveys by air and water, has observed two right whales in the bay, on Nov. 18 — one was seen less than a mile east of Pilgrim Beach in Plymouth and the other was seen about seven miles west of Wellfleet.
On Dec. 15, the team observed nine right whales in northeast Massachusetts Bay.
Latest entanglements highlight the need for change
The latest two entanglements have researchers and advocates reemphasizing the need for better policies to reduce human-caused risks to right whales, whose primary causes of injury and death are entanglements and boat strikes.
Since 1980, scientists have documented more than 1,800 entanglement involving more than 85% of the right whale population, according to data from the aquarium. Of concern is the increasing frequency of moderate and severe injuries from entanglements.
In January of this year, a 3-year-old female right whale that washed up dead on Martha’s Vineyard (No. 5120) was found with an entanglement, and the rope was later identified as coming from a Maine-based fishery. On Oct. 2, NOAA reported the official cause of death of that whale was determined to be chronic entanglement.
Ropes wrapped around a whale’s mouth, fins, or tail can slow their movement, make it difficult to feed, and cause infections. In some cases, the ropes have severed fins or tails, causing permanent damage, aquarium scientists say.
Ropeless fishing gear could help reduce entanglements, scientists say
Knowlton stresses that use of new technologies, such as ropeless or “on-demand” fishing gear, is crucial.
“Serious injuries and deaths of right whales are preventable and highlight the importance of implementing effective changes to reduce ongoing threats from fishing gear,” she said.
The aquarium, she added, “continues to urge and actively participate in advancing a collective shift in industry practices with support from the research community, engineers, and society in both the U.S. and Canada to save this species.”
Also speaking out on Wednesday was Gib Brogan, campaign director at the international ocean conservation organization, Oceana. He called fishing gear entanglements “gruesome,” pointing out how tightly ropes can cut into the whales’ flesh.
“These whales are not statistics, they are living beings enduring unimaginable suffering caused by human activities,” Brogan said.
He also urges NOAA to implement new protections that would include alternatives to vertical ropes in areas where whales are known to be.
According to a 2024 poll by Oceana, most Americans support stronger protections for North Atlantic right whales. The survey revealed that 86% of U.S. voters believe right whales should be protected from human-caused threats, and 83% agree that activities like shipping, boating, and fishing should be adjusted to protect them. The poll also showed that 80% of respondents support the government taking action to save the species from extinction.
“The real question is: will new protections be implemented before it’s too late?” said Brogan.
Heather McCarron writes about climate change, environment, energy, science and the natural world, in addition to news and features in Barnstable and Brewster. Reach her at [email protected].
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