Poor Orca Has A Fishing Lure Stuck In Its Mouth

photo credit: Barbara Bender/All Aboard Sailing
A 12-year-old male orca, identified as J39 from the Southern Resident Pod in the Pacific Northwest, was spotted recently with a salmon flasher lure stuck in its mouth.

Officials from NOAA and researchers are keeping their eyes on J39. According to them, he doesn’t appear to have been obviously injured.

Barbara Bender of All Aboard Sailing photographed the lure on J39 on Saturday near False Bay. NOAA will be providing money to the Center for Whale Research to keep tabs on the whale.

“We’re obviously very concerned about the lure and how it might affect J39’s feeding and behavior,” Lynne Barre, protected resources branch chief in NOAA Fisheries’ Seattle office, said in a statement released to the media. “We appreciate the reports from whale watchers who first noticed this and we will work with our partners on the water to watch J39 carefully.”

Since the hooks are barbless, folks are hoping it works it way out on its own.

This is another example of why we need to take better care of our fishing gear and trash. We’re regularly reporting about marine life getting tangled in nets and debris.

h/t KOMO News