The public's help is requested to locate an entangled gray whale missing in Puget Sound.
An alert ferry captain spotted the whale on April 13 during the Mukilteo-Clinton run, about 25 miles north of Seattle. Through a series of events, researchers now believe the whale is mostly free, but have not been able to locate it since.
The rescue effort began last Friday when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was notified and activated its Large Whale Entanglement Response Network, a partnership with SR3 and Cascadia Research Collective. Rescue crews tried making contact the same day, but poor weather hampered their efforts. The response team returned to Puget Sound on Saturday, and eventually located the whale, despite heavy rain and fog.
The team discovered fishing gear, most likely from a crab pot, was wound around the whale's body. As dusk fell, crews attached a satellite buoy to track the whale and would attempt to free it the following day.
NOAA says a serendipitous event occurred next, which likely helped free the whale.
The tracking buoy stopped sending signals overnight, preventing crews from quickly finding the whale on Sunday. New signals returned around noon, but from land near Port Hadlock. The buoy had been discovered on the rudder of a yacht, with some of the fishing gear attached.
Based on the buoy and recovered gear, NOAA believes the whale may be carrying a single remnant of the gear, which is not considered life-threatening.
Now NOAA and rescue crews are asking for the public's help in locating the gray whale for further inspection. Boaters and whale-watchers are encouraged to be on the lookout and report possible sightings to 1-877-SOS-WHALE or hail the Coast Guard on channel 16.
Entanglement is the leading cause of whale deaths, with 300,000 reported annually. The issue is most often linked to active fishing gear, such as crab pots. Researchers estimate that 85% of humpback whales are currently tangled, or have been before, based on scars.
The issue is a growing problem, as the population grows and fishing increases. One solution is to shorten the length of crab pot lines.
Earlier this month, another entangled gray whale was not so fortunate and found washed ashore on the Washington coast. Report whale sightings here.
