According to a new annual report from NOAA Fisheries, there were 95 total confirmed large whale entanglements nationwide last year. In the Northeast Atlantic, the majority of entanglements were reported in Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay. Three occurred off the coast of Maine.
NOAA spokesperson Andrea Gomez says that two of those three whales were humpbacks, and one was a minke. One of the humpbacks was found dead outside of Portland, entangled in a fishing net. The other humpback and the minke were found alive off Jonesport and Stonington, entangled in Maine lobster gear. The minke was able to shed the gear on its own, and Maine Marine Patrol was able to disentangle the humpback.
Entangled whales have been known to travel great distances, and Gomez notes that the location where an entangled whale is reported may be close to or far away from the location of the initial entanglement.
The total number of 2024 large whale entanglements is above the historical average of around 71, after several years of dipping below that number.
