February 14, 2024 — The rope embedded in the tail of a dead young right whale that washed up on the Vineyard last month is consistent with buoy lines used by trap fishermen in Maine, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
An analysis of the rope recovered from the whale found purple markings that are used to identify trap fishing gear from the Pine Tree State, NOAA wrote in a statement Wednesday. The finding is another clue into the whale’s death, though final results from the investigation led by the International Fund for Animal Welfare have yet to be released.
Preliminary results show the whale suffered from chronic entanglement. The whale’s death was a blow to the species, which now has dwindled to fewer than 360 whales.
“Entanglements are a constant threat to right whales, cutting their lives short and painting a disheartening future for this species,” Conservation Law Foundation senior counsel Erica Fuller said in a statement.