Rescue News

Response to Subadult Sei Whale Entangled in Heavy Gauge Line

March 18, 2011

A subadult sei whale was reported entangled by Hawaii Whale Research Foundation late in the day (2:25pm) on March 18, 2011 off Lahaina, Maui. Animal is entangled in heavy gauge, likely around 1" diameter, yellow, polypropylene line, with one, possibly two, wraps around tailstock before trailing 30 feet behind to a large bundle of line. The entangling line has a heavy growth of gooseneck barnacles making it appear even larger. Multiple line scars exist around the body, both forward and behind level of pectoral flippers. Animal is in poor condition/ emaciated and the entanglement was life threatening.

	Photo courtesy of Hawaii Whale Research Foundation.

The response was mounted by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS), NOAA Fisheries, and Hawaii Whale Research Foundation (HWRF), with trained personnel from Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC), Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF), and ProDivers. Several cuts may have been made within the limited time available and under less than optimal conditions; however, the animal remained entangled as daylight faded. In order to track the animala and to mount a follow-up effort when conditions and resources allow, the animal was tagged with a tethered telemetry buoy.

Drawing of the Entanglement.

	Reported Location of Entangled Sei Whale.

May 09, 2011

Animal is being monitored via telemetry, however, no followup response was made to date. At this time the animal has moved offshore, some 200 nm north of the main Hawaiian Islands, and no disentanglement effort is planned due to safety and logistic considerations. If animal approaches leeward waters of Hawaiian Islands, on-water community and network will be alerted to mount a follow-up response effort if resources and conditions allow.

	Sei Whale in Poor Condition.
	Photo courtesy of Hawaii Whale Research Foundation.

May 10, 2011

The tag is no longer believed to be attached to the animal. From drift characteristics of the buoy it is believed that some, if not all of the entangling gear may be hanging below the telemetry buoy (the animal may be free of gear). The entanglement may no longer be life threatening, but the impact of the entanglement may be life threatening. No response will be mounted due to remoteness (220nm north of Hawaiian Islands) and status of entanglement (animal likely free). The tag package is monitored and an attempt may be made to recover the package in order to confirm the status of the entanglement and recover the gear for entanglement investigation.

	Entangling Line with Gooseneck Barnacles.
	Photo courtesy of Hawaii Whale Research Foundation.

May 25, 2011

The status of the animal is uncertain, but the animal is believed to be free of gear. The tag package that was once attached to the animal via entangling gear is drifting southwards and may have gear that once entangled animal attached. The tag package will be recovered if it drifts within the range of response. Current location of tag is approximately 50nm north of Lihue, Kauai.

May 26, 2011

The tag is at its closest point to Kauai and now on westerly drift (28nm north of Kauai). Based on current models it should start heading NW. The tag is likely to lose power any day now. The status of the animal is uncertain, but animal is believed to be free of gear. The USCG with NOAA Fisheries observers on board do overflight of buoy location to access buoy status and determine if entangling gear is attached to buoy. Unfortunately, high sea state and inability to tune to exact VHF frequency, the crew can not locate telemetry buoy. However, the whale was not attached to the buoy anymore.The drifting tag buoy is being monitored for recovery and will be recovered if it drifts within the range of response.

July 3, 2011

The tag is no longer transmitting and it last fix was 120 nm north of Kauai. It transmitted for over 3 months. The tag is confirmed free of the animal and the animal is believed to be free of gear, but its status is uncertain.

	Grapple throw from NOAA vessel Hihimanu with HWRF vessel Deep Blue providing support
	Nicole Davis, NOAA Fisheries

Objectives of Rescue Response

The primary objectives of entanglement response are to document the entanglement and its overall impact to the animal (at an individual, population, and species level) through recovery of gear, documentation of the entangling gear and animal, through scar study analysis, and tissue samples. This information along with the documentation of aggregations of debris found floating free will help answer such questions as where the gear is coming from, the type of gear, how was it set or lost, when and how might the animal have come in contact with it, and allow us to better quantify the degree of threat different gear types/ marine debris and practices pose to whales and other marine animals. If the entanglement is assessed as likely life threatening and if resources and conditions allow, response may also involve cutting the animal free. In those cases where disentanglement effort is carried out every precaution is to be taken to have no harm come to the responders and minimal harm to the animals being disentangled.

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February 2006

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