February 4, 2015 — Deep beneath the surface of the Gulf of Alaska an extraordinary marine crime has been taking place.
Sperm whales, the ocean’s largest predators, have been targeting the boats of black cod fishermen and swiping their catch off their lines.
This giant animal’s deft trick was filmed for the first time by a group of scientists based in Alaska, US, and is shown in the BBC Two programme Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom.
It shows a sperm whale using its long jaw to create tension on the line, which in turn snaps fish off the hooks. This feeding behaviour is called depredation and experts think it is learned by the whales.
I don’t know how to quantify their intelligence but their effectiveness is almost perfect,” says Stephen Rhoads, a boat skipper who has been fishing in the area for 20 years.
“That they’re getting better at this every single year and it’s less work for them to hang out with us and take our fish than it is to dive down and get them off the bottom.
“There’s no doubt that these creatures are very smart.”
Long-line fishermen fish on the sea bed using hook-and-line equipment that can be up to five miles long.
Read the full story and watch the video at the BBC