A baby humpback is swimming freely once again after spending roughly four weeks entangled in prawn fishing gear.
A researcher with the Bamfield Marine Centre spotted the calf swimming with its mother near Folger Island in Barkley Sound on Sept. 9 and immediately reported it to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
B次元官网网址淭he marine mammal rescue crew launched and spent six hours working to successfully disentangle the calf,B次元官网网址� DFO spokesperson Lara Sloan told the Westerly B次元官网网址.
Within about five minutes of the report coming in, DFO Marine Mammal Coordinator Paul Cottrell was hopping on a float plane and he arrived at the scene less than two hours later, joining fishery officers to assess the situation, which looked grim.
B次元官网网址淚t basically had four wraps of rope around the head and the whole tail stock and fluke were a mass of ropesB次元官网网址t was just a ratB次元官网网址檚 nest. There was probably 20 wraps around the tail stock and then longitudinal with the fluke,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he calf was trumpet-blowing and showing signs of distress. It was obviously not comfortable and the ropes were already digging into both the fluke and the dorsal side. It was obviously painful for this poor calf.B次元官网网址�
He added the rescue team had to be extra cautious because the young animalB次元官网网址檚 mother was swimming alongside, sometimes touching her calf, causing concern that she might become entangled as well or become aggressive.
B次元官网网址淵ou really never know how the momB次元官网网址檚 going to react when youB次元官网网址檙e having to get in close quarters with a calf and the calfB次元官网网址檚 in distress. ItB次元官网网址檚 a highly unpredictable situation because sometimes moms can be quite aggressive,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o, this was one where we had to be extremely careful. The mom was stressed when the calf was stressed, so we had to disengage a number of times because she would do a high energy breach very close to us.B次元官网网址�
He said the calf itself was an enormous 25-foot patient for the crew to work with and that tranquilizers are not used on whales due to concerns over dosage and potential drownings.
B次元官网网址淭hese animals are massive, theyB次元官网网址檙e powerful and it really is dangerous,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he mom is 45 feet long and a tremendous, powerful, animal that could create havoc if youB次元官网网址檙e not careful. ItB次元官网网址檚 very nerve wracking, but yet you have to be patient, calm and collected.B次元官网网址�
He said the six-hour rescue was full of B次元官网网址渦p and downB次元官网网址� moments, but the end result B次元官网网址渃ouldnB次元官网网址檛 have gone better,B次元官网网址� and the calf showed high energy as it swam away after he had cut the last piece of rope off.
B次元官网网址淭he calf just took off like a shotB次元官网网址tB次元官网网址檚 really hard to describe the euphoria of all that effort coming together and being successful. ThereB次元官网网址檚 nothing like it for sure,B次元官网网址� he said adding the calf joined its mom and swam off. B次元官网网址淭hey started swimming together at the surface, which was cool to see.B次元官网网址�
He said the crew watched the animal to confirm no entanglements remained.
B次元官网网址淎ny type of gear on an animal can kill it overtime because it works into the blubber and it can get infected and itB次元官网网址檚 just awful,B次元官网网址� he said adding the calf suffered some superficial injuries, but will survive. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 going to be some scarring, but not life threatening at allB次元官网网址tB次元官网网址檚 great that this calfB次元官网网址檚 going to have a chance to hopefully grow up to be an adult animal that contributes to the population.B次元官网网址�
He said the gear the calf had been wrapped up in was identified as recreational prawn gear that was set in Barkley Sound and the gearB次元官网网址檚 owner told DFO it had been missing for roughly four weeks.
B次元官网网址淎ny vertical line in the water is a potential entanglement situation,B次元官网网址� Cottrell said adding the gearB次元官网网址檚 owner is not facing any charges as the gear was active and the entanglement accidental. B次元官网网址淥ur first pillar obviously is prevention, but if we have vertical lines in the water, weB次元官网网址檙e going to have the potential for entanglement, thatB次元官网网址檚 just how it works unfortunatelyB次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檙e continually looking at that and implementing any management measures that may help.B次元官网网址�
Surfrider Pacific Rim hosted an eight-day shoreline cleanup in the Broken Group Islands last month where 70 per cent of the debris collected came from the fishing and aquaculture industries, according to chapter manager Lilly Woodbury.
B次元官网网址淲hile itB次元官网网址檚 incredible and fortunate that the Marine Mammal Rescue team was able to disentangle the humpback calf on Sept 9, it is not enough to address this issue by dealing with it reactively. We need to work together to address the root of the problem to prevent these tribulations from occurring in the first place,B次元官网网址� Woodbury told the Westerly. B次元官网网址淥ne of the ways this can be achieved is by expanding the scope of extended producer responsibility so that the manufacturers of fishing and aquaculture equipment are responsible for the entire life cycle of their products.B次元官网网址�
Anyone who spots a marine mammal in distress must immediately report their sighting to DFO at 1-800-465-4336.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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