Severely entangled humpback whale rescued off Haida Gwaii, B.C.
Video shows Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) staff leading the rescue of a severely entangled humpback whale off the coast of British Columbia last week.
Pacific Marine Mammal Response coordinator Paul Cottrell says the DFO received a tip from the public about an injured humpback whale off Haida Gwaii on May 30.
DFO staff were already in the area and were able to put a satellite tag on the animal so that incoming rescue crews could track the whale.
"I ended up getting up there and the next morning we went out with Parks Canada as well," said Cottrell. "We had the safety boats with Parks Canada and the DFO vessel."
When the rescue teams caught up with the humpback, Cottrell says it was "heartbreaking" to see how the whale was entangled.
Fishing gear had wrapped around its mouth and tail, with the entangled ropes pulled taut around it.
"So this animal, it was in a crescent shape," said Cottrell.
"It couldn't swim straight because of the gear configuration," he said.
HOURS-LONG RESCUE
The DFO rescue crews started by removing the gear from the whale's mouth.
"Unfortunately, once we had released that tension, we thought the animal would straighten out," he said.
"But he was still in a bit of a crescent shape."
The crews then went to work on the rope tangled around the whale's tail.
They found that when they removed some of the rope that was deeply ensnared, it ended up injuring the whale as well.
"So we decided to leave the rope that was deeply embedded and cut some of the adjacent rope around it," said Cottrell.
"The animal swam off and it did straighten out a little bit but it still had that crescent shape," he said.
The DFO estimates that the whale had been entangled for a long time, considering how deeply the rope was embedded in the humpback's tail, and because of the amount of algae that had built up on the gear.
"So we're going to monitor and assess that animal over time to make sure it's going to make it," said Cottrell.
"We gave it the best chance we could, it was a great effort by everyone."
INCREASED HUMPBACK PRESENCE IN B.C.
Earlier this year, DFO crews managed to rescue a similarly entangled humpback whale near Port Hardy, B.C.
Cottrell says the Pacific Marine Mammal Response team has received four reports of entangled humpback whales so far this year, but were only able to locate and rescue these two.
He says it's "good news" that more and more humpback whales are returning to B.C. waters, but their increased numbers also means a greater chance of encountering fishing gear or boats.
"It's so important for the public, if you see an entangled whale that's distressed or in trouble, please call our 1-800 number, 1-800-465-4336," he said.
"It improves our chances of rescuing these whales if we get there quickly."
Cottrell says there's more and more research being done into improving the safety of the fishing industry worldwide, but that it's going to take some time for any of those innovations to become a reality.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.