September 13, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Nobody wants to catch a whale. By marking their gear clearly, fishermen and other ocean users help reduce the risk of that happening. Entanglement in fishing gear presents a major threat to whales. It can drown individuals, cause long-term injuries that impact their health by limiting their ability to eat, travel and reproduce, and potentially affect population abundance. Entanglement is a pressing concern for whales off the West Coast, where documented entanglements have risen sharply during the past decade. Due to recent changes in ocean conditions there have been some increases in overlap between whales and nearshore fisheries. A better understanding of which fisheries and where the overlap is occurring is crucial.
The West Coast states and Pacific Fishery Management Council have required gear marking in commercial and recreational fisheries. These markings help NOAA Fisheries and our partners identify the origins of entanglements. However, under current requirements only about half of the reported entanglements can be linked to a specific fishery or other type of gear.