Badly tangled humpback whale freed from fishing line in Unalaska Bay

A humpback whale got lifesaving help last week from a team of marine mammal responders led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after it became entangled in fishing line in Unalaska Bay near Dutch Harbor.

NOAA officials said they first got a report of the whale's situation Oct. 15. By the time responders reached it, the line was wrapped tightly through its mouth and across its blowholes. Its tail was also weighed down, the agency said, likely by a large cod pot. A marathon rescue mission then followed.

"This humpback was hogtied — the flukes were pulled under the body, connecting to the head with heavy line — and anchored to a pot at the ocean's bottom, which basically immobilized it, much like a dog on a leash," said John Moran, a Juneau-based NOAA Fisheries humpback whale biologist and trained responder under the agency's Large Whale Entanglement Response Network.

Moran flew to Dutch Harbor on Friday to lead the on-water effort to free the whale.

"The response team — which included two vessels and reconnaissance using underwater cameras and an overhead drone — spent 12 hours over two days on the water making numerous attempts at cutting the lines binding the whale," he said.

The rescue team was able to free the flukes of the head first, which allowed the whale to swim, but it still had about 200 feet of line around it. Fortunately, officials said, it swam toward shallower water, making the continued rescue effort easier.

Finally, after hours of effort, the team got a victory.

"Suddenly there was a popping sound, and the gear floated to the top," said Moran. "Apparently a cutting grapple hook had taken about an hour to work through the line and cut it loose. Then we saw the whale swimming freely and knew it was free of the entanglement."

The whale's dilemma was first noticed by a U.S. Army Corp of Engineers biologist, who reported the situation to the Alaska SeaLife Center Oct. 15. At that time, the whale was observed near Needle Rock.

The next day, it was found again, and this time, it appeared to be anchored and in a life-threatening predicament. A team began to mobilize, including a port vessel with a certified drone operator.

After the whale was able to swim free from the fishing gear, it appeared to be in good condition. Biologists said it was "very likely to survive its ordeal."

"Once we got the gear off, it took off, and was swimming freely and breathing normally," added Moran. "It was a long day, but everyone on the response team was super committed to getting this done. The team work was amazing."

NOAA Fisheries worked with the following partners on this response: Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks Bristol Bay Campus, city of Unalaska, USACE, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, Aleutian Aerial, Resolve Magone Marine Services, Alaska SeaLife Center, and NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

NOAA reminds mariners to report marine mammals in distress to the NOAA Fisheries 24-hour Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at 877-925-7773.

This article was originally published by the Dutch Harbor Fisherman/Bristol Bay Times and is reprinted here with permission.