Humpback whale trapped in prawning gear freed off Vancouver Island
A 40-foot-long humpback whale that was entangled in prawning gear off Vancouver Island was freed by specialists on Thursday.
DFO marine mammal coordinator Paul Cottrell says his team was called for reports of an entangled whale off Gabriola Island, near Nanaimo, from "many sources" on Thursday.
A team sailed to the area and located multiple different whales, but none were entangled, according to Cottrell.
Just when the team was going to chalk up the reports to a false alarm, DFO received a call from commercial fishers about a whale being caught in their prawning gear.
Cottrell says it was fortunate that the team was already in the area, about one nautical mile away from Entrance Island, and were able to get to the scene quickly.
The crew, alongside support from the commercial fishers and Nanaimo fishery officers, was able to locate the whale and carefully assess its condition.
Cottrell says the adult humpback whale's tail was caught in several lines of prawning gear, weighing it down.
"The gear itself was commercial prawn gear, so 50 traps (spaced) 60 feet apart, so 3,000 feet of line, anchors on either end and floats," said Cottrell. "So this animal was anchored and struggling just to get to the surface."
The DFO estimates that the whale had been caught in the gear for about a day. It was exhausted and agitated and struggled to get to the surface to breathe. Cottrell says the animal would be able to heft the weight of all the prawning gear and poke its head above water, but the rest of its body would remain submerged.
Responding teams took time to assess the situation using a drone and GoPro camera, says Cottrell, because incorrectly removing gear can make the situation worse for the animal.
Crews were eventually able to cut all the prawning gear free and the whale "had instant relief" says Cottrell. The teams monitored the whale for about 45 minutes after it was free to see what its condition was.
The DFO says the humpback was swimming normally and crews hope that the whale will make a full recovery, though they did notice some damage to on the whale's dorsal fin.
Cottrell says the commercial fishers did everything right in the situation. They had gone out that morning to check their prawn traps and when they noticed the entangled whale they called the DFO right away, he says.
Anyone who spots a distressed or entangled whale in B.C. is asked to call the DFO Pacific Region at 1-800-465-4336. Cottrell says a marine mammal team is always on call, 24/7, to respond to reports.
The DFO asks that people do not approach or attempt to free distressed whales because it can be dangerous for both people and animals. Instead, call in a report and take a picture if possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Biden OKs US$60M in aid after Baltimore bridge collapse as governor warns of 'very long road ahead'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned Thursday of a 'very long road ahead' to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved US$60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse.