Right Whale Entanglements
Entanglements in fishing gear can have dangerous health risks to right whales, and have claimed the lives of whales in the past. Many whales have been injured by fishing gear such as gillnets; the tough ropes can dig into the whale’s skin and leave telltale scars even if the whales manage to break free. If a whale is unable to escape on its own, the nets hold open injuries that may become infected and could lead to death. The fishing gear that drags along behind the whale may also slow the animal and prevent it from feeding, which could lead to starvation.
NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to preventing entanglements, and to the difficult task of disentangling whales.
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Links to More Resources
The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP)
The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan is a joint effort between the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team and NOAA Fisheries Service to reduce serious injuries and deaths of large whales due to entanglements in fishing gear in the Atlantic Ocean. Its primary goal is the prevention of entanglements through regulations, and it strives to raise awareness of the problem.
Disentanglement Efforts
The survival of right whales may very well be tied to rescuer team's ability to aid them once injured, which is a notoriously difficult feat. The first time a right whale was successfully sedated was in 2009, this was a great success and a monumental first.
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