Latest Disentanglement

The PCCS disentanglement team, in conjunction with the US Coast Guard, successfully freed an entangled humpback whale yesterday, 12/22/04, offshore of Newport, Rhode Island. The whale, likely a juvenile, had multiple wraps of rope around its tail and was effectively anchored by its entanglement. The animal appeared to be emaciated and its skin was in poor condition.

the PCCS disentanglement team prepares to cut the entangling ropes after adding the large buoy for flotation PCCS image taken under NOAA-Fisheries permit 932-1489, under the authority of the U.S. Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts - please request PCCS permission for use

The whale was first reported as entangled the day before by a commercial boat pilot, who relayed the information to the USCG. In turn, the USCG contacted PCCS and Rhode Island’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Weather conditions and the relatively late time of day prevented an immediate response, but RI-DFW and the US Navy offered to assess and document the sighting. Based upon the photographs both of these groups obtained, the PCCS team planned for a disentanglement attempt the following day, especially considering that the animal appeared to be anchored to the spot.

With the offer of support from the USCG, Navy and local fishermen, as well as aerial support from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the PCCS team left Provincetown before dawn the next day. With the help from two USCG vessels out of Station Castle Hill, the whale was found in nearly the same position as the day before. Deploying a small inflatable, the PCCS team approached the animal to assess the entanglement.

The whale had a minimum of six wraps of line around the base of the tail that lead to heavy gear at the seafloor and the whale appeared unable to raise the tail. Each of the wraps was deeply embedded and the overall condition of the animal suggested that it had not been feeding for some time. Using a grappling hook the team attached a long tether to this gear, just under the flukes. Working up the tether, the team managed to attach a large buoy close to the flukes of the whale. With this extra buoyancy, the whale was able to raise its flukes at least partially. Using a hook-shaped knife at the end of a long pole, the team managed to cut all but one of the wraps of line. Feeling the shift in its entanglement, the whale began to roll at the surface, unwinding the final wrap of line. Within moments the whale began diving and swimming rapidly away.

diagram of the entanglement

Though all entangling lines were removed from this animal it should be noted that its health condition remains questionable. The PCCS humpback whale research program is attempting to identify this animal (based upon the shape of the dorsal fin and the pigmentation pattern of the flukes). Identity may tell something of the duration of its entanglement and future sightings of this whale may lead to a better understanding of the healing process. The gear retrieved from this disentanglement will be used in studies aimed at designing fishing gear that reduces whale entanglements.

Support from multiple agencies and dozens of staff were invaluable in this operation and PCCS would like to thank everyone involved. Updates regarding this whale will be posted here when available.

click here to read about previous entanglements