Featured Image Credit: NOAA-permit-18786
Earlier this week, a young humpback whale was found dangerously entangled by fishing line just off the coast of Boston. The Marine Animal Entanglement Response team was dispatched from the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown ASAP. Together the crew worked with the whale and did their best to minimize stress and free the whale.
The CCS described the emergency situation to Eyewitness News. Apparently, fishing debris was wrapped very tightly around the base of the humpback’s tail and stretched to fishing gear that was settled on the base of the sea floor. Basically, the distressed whale was anchored for almost a whole week… Gulp.
A local commercial fisherman spotted the distressed young mammal on Thursday and reported it to MAER. Due to inclimate weather and rough seas, the Marine Animal Entanglement Team was unable to properly respond until Sunday. The Massachusetts Environmental Police and the US Coast Guard also assisted in the successful rescue effort.
The Humpback Whale Studies team from the Center for Coastal Studies is trying to identify the whale so they can monitor its future progress.
WHALE DONE BEANTOWN!