Whale Disentanglement and Rescue

That's Edward Lyman holding up a big plastic float, a simple piece of equipment that just might help save a whale's life. Edward is the Marine Mammal Response Manager from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and he came to Sausalito and Santa Cruz this autumn to conduct whale disentanglement workshops.

And that's Mick Menigoz, Captain of the Superfish, and one of the divers who rescued a Humpback Whale that had become entangled in nylon ropes 18 miles outside the Golden Gate Bridge. If you read this blog you know that Mick takes SFBayWhaleWatching groups out on the Superfish, but you may not know that "our" Mick is the same guy featured in a story almost one year ago that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle about the dramatic rescue. Click on this blog's title for another look at the Chronicle article.


Mick, James Moskito and the other divers who rescued the whale last December were lucky, because according to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") officials; "many would-be rescuers who have jumped into the ocean to free an animal have died or been critically injured. Rescuers can also injure a whale by improper techniques."


Entanglement can hinder a whale's ability to swim, resulting in drowning or vulnerability to ship collision; can impede its ability to feed, leading to starvation; or can cause physical trauma from the injuries that can lead to infection and death. NOAA estimates that 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die each year from entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris. Thankfully, hundreds of whales have been freed, using special techniques and equipment developed by NOAA. Add one lucky Humpback Whale who ran into our very own talented and experienced Captain Mick and friends.

Edward explained that you need a permit to attempt to disentangle whales from fishing gear or marine debris, information that was somewhat scarce a year ago. NOAA requires that only specially permitted, experienced and trained personnel working under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and sometimes the Endangered Species Act may cut gear and marine debris from a whale.







Authorized rescuers no longer enter the water to cut off debris, it's just too dangerous. From agile, inflatable boats they follow the whale after attaching the plastic floats to the debris itself. The floats slow the whales down so the rescuers can come alongside and begin to cut off the debris. They actually learned the technique of attaching floating objects to the whales to slow them down from old time whalers - they called it a "Nantucket sleigh ride."


Once rescuers get close enough to a calmed whale, they can use special crescent shaped knives, blunt on the outside of the curve, to cut off the ropes and other restraining debris. Knives can be attached to poles for greater reach. It must be incredibly emotional when that grand fluke pushes off, disentangled, and a released whale glides to freedom. If you see a whale entangled by marine debris call the California Whale/Turtle Entanglement Hotline at 800-853-1964.


Photos and information regarding the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Marine Mammal Response program courtesy of Edward Lyman, and Mary Jane Schramm of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Text and additional photos by Kathleen Jacques.