Marine mammal rescuers operating on Vancouver Island have reported a surge in whale entanglements this summer. Paul Cottrell, the marine mammal coordinator at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, stated that his team has been dealing with an average of one to two entanglements per week over the past two months, aligning with last year’s figures. Additionally, they have conducted several necropsies during this period.
The most recent incident occurred last week when a humpback whale calf, along with its mother, was discovered entangled in over 100 meters of rope near the south coast of Vancouver Island. The calf had been towing the rope since July 5, after going missing from B.C.’s central coast.
Cottrell mentioned that his team successfully freed the calf after a seven-hour operation, collaborating with U.S. counterparts. This rescue marked the third activation in less than two weeks for his team. Prior to that, they had disentangled a whale named Wiggins for the second time in a year near French Creek, followed by another rescue mission in the Alberni Inlet on Vancouver Island’s central region.
Cottrell expressed concern over the increasing frequency of entanglements, attributing it to the growing presence of humpback whales in British Columbia’s inshore waters. While he acknowledged the positive “humpback comeback” story resulting from conservation efforts, he highlighted the challenges posed by the entanglement risks associated with inshore fishing gear.
Researcher and educator Jackie Hildering from the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS) emphasized the importance of conservation efforts in providing humpback whales with a “second chance” following their near-extinction due to historical hunting practices. However, she raised concerns about the persistent entanglement issues, noting that 50% of whales she has observed show signs of previous entanglements, possibly underestimating the actual numbers.
Hildering stressed the significance of prevention and education as more effective measures than reactive disentanglements. She advocated for increased awareness and participation in whale-safe boating courses to mitigate humpback entanglements and prevent further casualties, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions beyond headline-grabbing rescues.