Marine mammal rescuers operating on Vancouver Island have reported a spike in whale entanglements this summer. Paul Cottrell, who heads the marine mammal team at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, stated that they have been handling approximately one to two entanglements per week over the past two months, consistent with last year’s figures, along with conducting several necropsies. The latest incident involved a humpback whale calf and its mother near the south coast of Vancouver Island, entangled in over 100 meters of rope.
According to Cottrell, the calf had been trailing the rope since July 5, when it went missing from B.C.’s central coast. After tracking the gear, his team, in collaboration with U.S. counterparts, spent seven hours untangling the calf, which was a significant rescue effort. Prior to this, there were two other entanglement incidents in quick succession, including disentangling a whale named Wiggins for the second time within a year near French Creek on Vancouver Island’s eastern coast.
Cottrell expressed concern over the increasing frequency of entanglements, attributing the rise to the growing presence of humpback whales in British Columbia’s inshore waters. While this marks a positive trend in the “humpback comeback,” it has unfortunately led to more interactions with inshore fishing gear.
Jackie Hildering, a researcher and educator at the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS), highlighted the conservation efforts that have given humpback whales a “second chance” after being hunted to near extinction. However, she cautioned that this opportunity is being jeopardized by ongoing entanglements. Hildering emphasized the need for prevention and education as more effective strategies, stating that disentanglements, while garnering attention, do not address the root problem. She urged for greater awareness and participation in initiatives like MERS’ whale safe boating course, endorsed by the federal government, to reduce humpback entanglements and fatalities.