Humpback whale mom trailing fishing line is 2nd rescue by Provincetown group in 2 weeks

Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times

For the second time in less than two weeks, a report of a humpback whale wrapped in fishing lines brought a marine animal rescue team from the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown to waters off Massachusetts.

The whale, identified as Mudskipper by the organization's humpback whale specialists, was spotted Monday morning by the crew of a tuna fishing boat, according to the center. The whale's calf was nearby.

With help from the rescuers, the whale was able to free herself, the center reported.

The humpback pair was swimming in the north part of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary is an 842-square-mile underwater reserve stretching from off Cape Ann to Race Point Channel off Cape Cod.

Mudskipper was dragging a buoy behind her, with about 150 feet of buoy line through her mouth, when the rescuers found her in the sanctuary's waters east of Boston.

"Despite the entanglement, the calf was attempting to nurse from Mudskipper and the rope posed a risk of injuring Mudskipper over time or entangling the calf to her," the center reported on Tuesday afternoon.

For the second time in less than two weeks, a report of a humpback whale wrapped in fishing lines brought a marine animal rescue team from the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown to waters off Massachusetts. The whale, identified as Mudskipper by the organization's humpback whale specialists, was spotted Monday morning by the crew of a tuna fishing boat, according to the center. The whale's calf was nearby.

Helping Mudskipper help herself

The rescuers attached large floats to the whale's entanglement. Using Mudskipper's own momentum as she swam forward while towing the floats and the team's inflatable rescue boat, she pulled free from the rope, and swim away with her baby, estimated to be about seven months old. The team posted a short video clip from the rescue on YouTube at www.tinyurl.com/HumpbackMudskipper.

The Cape Ann Whale Watch Company helped relay the initial report of Mudskipper's entanglement, and the federal Northeast Fisheries Science Center aerial survey team helped the rescue team during the disentanglement. The team's rescue work is done under a federal permit authorized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Second rescue in 11 days

Less than two weeks ago, on June 27, the Provincetown rescue team cut rope off and freed a young humpback whale, the 2024 calf of a whale known as Scylla. The baby is estimated to be only about five months old.

Rescuers had found the calf with wraps of buoy line around its body.

Whale watch vessels first observed the calf and its mother off Provincetown just before sunset on June 25. After the pair was again spotted off Gloucester, vessels stayed nearby while the center's team made the 45-mile trip from Provincetown.

Massachusetts and Cape Cod bays, as well as Stellwagen Bank, see visits from many types of whales throughout the year, from the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales to humpback whales, minke whales, fin whales, sei whales, and short- and long-finned pilot whales.

Young North Atlantic right whale also entangled

Apart from Mudskipper, and also Scylla's calf, the 2023 calf of the North Atlantic right whale matriarch known as War was also recently spotted with an entanglement further north.

Research scientists with New England Aquarium Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life were part of a team that spotted the whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on June 22, according to the aquarium. Researchers were able to attach a telemetry buoy to the trailing line to keep track of the whale's location by satellite, and Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans is monitoring. Disentanglement efforts will be undertaken as weather permits.

How to report sightings of entangled animals

Boaters are asked to report any entanglement sightings of whales, sea turtles or other marine animals at 1-800-900-3622 or the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF 16, and to stand by the animal at a safe distance until trained responders arrive.

Heather McCarron writes about climate change, environment, energy, science and the natural world. Reach her at hmccarron@capecodonline.com, or follow her on X @HMcCarron_CCT

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: How a Cape Cod team helped humpback whale mom with calf save herself

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