Twice in two days, recreational boaters spotted humpback whales trapped in fishing gear off Massachusetts and called for help. Twice in two days, a Provincetown-based rescue team answered.
The latest rescue unfolded Aug. 7 in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Center for Coastal Studies' Marine Animal Entanglement Response Team spent nearly two hours freeing the animal, according to a statement the center issued on Aug. 8.
"The whale was heavily anchored in fishing gear," the organization reported.
The operation marked the MAER team's second humpback whale disentanglement in less than a week, and its third since mid-June — evidence of a threat that continues to shadow whales in some of New England's busiest fishing grounds.
Scott Landry, director of the center's Marine Animal Entanglement Response Program, earlier in the week said cases like those the team has responded to this summer highlight the importance of having "a network of mariners looking out for entangled whales." Prompt reporting from recreational boaters gives entangled whales a better chance at survival, he said.
During the late morning on Aug. 7, recreational boaters saw the whale within the Stellwagen sanctuary, a NOAA-managed marine protected area at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay that spans about 842 square miles of federal waters between Cape Cod and Cape Ann. It is one of the most productive feeding areas for large whales during the warmer months, where marine life and fishing activity often overlap.
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According to the center, the boaters initially tried to free the whale themselves.
"Once they realized the dangers of that attempt, they called the CCS whale disentanglement hotline after returning to shore," the center reported.
The team described the whale as "relatively large." Working from a small inflatable boat, the team assessed the whale's injuries and the configuration of the entanglement before beginning the careful work of cutting the gear away.
"Using grappling hooks and hook-shaped knives on long poles, the team systematically removed the entanglement," the center stated.
Once freed, the whale dove immediately dove and swam off quickly.
The scene echoed another rescue two days earlier just west of Halibut Point near Rockport, when recreational boaters spotted a humpback towing a fishing buoy and alerted authorities.
On June 14, the Provincetown team freed a young humpback, also in Stellwagen Bank, recreational boaters spotted it tethered near the surface by a rope wrapped around its tail, which made it difficult for the animal to swim.
During a July 27 research cruise on Stellwagen Bank, members of the MAER and Humpback Studies teams came across that whale again and reported they were "guardedly optimistic that the whale appears to be healing well."
Taken together, the rescues offer a glimpse into a problem into a problem that marine scientists say remains one of the leading causes of injury and death, next to boat strikes, for large whales, as well as sea turtles.
Entanglements can leave whales dragging ropes, traps and buoys for weeks or months, making it harder to feed, travel and dive. In severe cases, lines can cut into the flesh, cause infections and could eventually kill the animal.
In both cases, the whales were aided by Good Samaritan boaters who reported the sightings.
"Federally permitted and authorized disentanglement offers individual whales a better chance at survival while adding to needed information that will be useful in preventing entanglements," the center stated.
Since 1984, the center's MAER team has helped free more than 200 large whales and other marine animals while pioneering many of the disentanglement techniques now used around the world.
The organization urges anyone who encounters an entangled whale or sea turtle not to intervene directly. Instead, they should report the sighting immediately by calling the CCS hotline at 800-900-3622 or hailing the U.S. Coast Guard on Channel 16 and remain nearby at a safe distance until trained responders arrive.
Heather McCarron, [email protected], writes about whales, sharks and other marine and wildlife, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, environmental issues, offshore wind, and issues in Barnstable, Falmouth and Brewster.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Provincetown team frees second entangled humpback in two days