Highly-trained responders depend on boating community to be “eyes and ears” on the water NOAA Fisheries’ John Moran reaches with a pole to cut a line entangling a humpback whale in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Credit: NOAA The foundation of responding to entangled whales is the on-water community. NOAA’s Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network depends on […]
(Anchorage) — Done using your outdoor hammock for the season? When was the last time your kids actually went out to play on the backyard swing set? Moose have a way of getting tangled in things we leave draped, set up, or hanging outside, and items that can be put away until May — or […]
The hotline rings. A whale is in danger. Fishermen report the location of a humpback tangled in tightly twisted fishing lines. An entanglement response team speeds to the coordinates to evaluate the situation. They must make a critical decision—act quickly to remove as much fishing gear as possible, or monitor closely and allow the whale […]