Rescuers race to free whale entangled in Cape Cod Bay
BOSTON - Researchers from Center for Coastal Studies and NOAA Fisheries are feverishly trying to disentangle a right whale that's wrapped up in some type of rope and other material.
Amy Knowlton is Senior Scientist at the New England Aquarium. She says the fishing industry needs to take more measures to continue to do their work but not bring harm to whales. "It's not a good situation for sure," Knowlton said. "I think this whale does not have a lot of time. It's been an escalating problem because the industry has been expanding over the decades and ropes have gotten stronger."
Knowlton says this right whale was first spotted entangled in Cape Cod Bay back in February.
Getting a whale disentangled from fishing gear is no easy task. "It requires a lot of skill it's dangerous," Knowlton said. "You have to have calm seas to do it safely."
Knowlton says time is of the essence for rescuing this whale who is only eight years old and is continuing to grow. She is extremely wrapped up in the gear which could cut into her body and lead to infection.
"There is no guarantee that she can be saved because these disentanglements are challenging. You have to be at the right place at the right time which is weather dependent," she said.
New England Aquarium scientists say they have documented more than 1700 right whale entanglements with more than 85% of the North Atlantic right whale population being entangled at least once in their lives.
Meanwhile rescues efforts for this right whale are still underway.
