'We're on standby': Team ready to help entangled right whale in Gulf of St. Lawrence
![Whale A North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass., March 28, 2018. (Source: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/5/14/whale-1-6886708-1715713421148.jpg)
Mackie Greene and his team are waiting for Shelagh to reappear – an entangled North Atlantic right whale recently spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
It can be the longest part of their job, but they have to be ready at a moment’s notice to head out if someone spots Shelagh. Once that happens, Greene and his partners will depart from coast – likely in Shippagan, N.B. – in a Zodiac boat to find and help the elusive creature.
Their target is an adult female right whale which was seen with what seemed to be fishing gear stuck in its mouth on Friday. Greene is the director of the Campobello Whale Rescue Program and he’s helped untangle more than 40 whales in the last 20 years.
“We were notified as soon as it was seen,” Greene said. “We’re on standby. As soon as it’s seen again, we’re in small Zodiac boats. We have the gear all ready. As soon as we get that call, we’ll travel to the nearest port and launch and go out.
“Finding the whale is always the hardest part. It’s a big ocean out there. Often they’re spotted by planes. We hope Fisheries and Oceans Canada can get out to the whale and attach a satellite tag to the whale so we can track it.”
Shelagh is the first North Atlantic right whale spotted in Canadian waters for the 2024 season. The population is in a precarious position as Oceana Canada, an environmental organization, says it believes three calves have already died this season.
“We’re in an unusual mortality event that started in 2017 when you started seeing a steep decline of right whales,” said Kim Elmslie, campaign director with Oceana Canada. “It’s starting to level off. We need to protect the females.
“One (study) found even a minor entanglement for a female right whale can limit her ability to calve. We’re advocating for a transition to rope-less gear.”
Brian Sharp, director of marine mammal rescue and research with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the leading causes of death for right whales are entanglements and collisions with vessels.
He noted the process of freeing a whale from fishing gear can be a difficult one, but it starts with keeping a fixed eye on the animal so crews can quickly find it.
“The first part is doing an assessment,” he said. “If there’s an aircraft in the area that can fly over the whale, that can give the best assessment of the whale. The key for any team is to spend as little time as possible around the whale. When you’re cutting the rope you’re in a dangerous area.
“You want to make sure you’re making the right cut. These entanglements need to be addressed as soon as they happen.”
Greene said his team relies on old whaling techniques to non-violently get close to the entangled whale, attaching large polyballs to it so it has to slow down and surface, giving the team an opportunity to cut the ropes with poles.
“It’s amazing the strength they have,” he said. “We try to mitigate all the risk we can. We try to keep distance from the whale, we call it the danger zone.
“Ropes around the mouth are the hardest (to cut). Sometimes the whales are cooperative, sometimes it can stretch into hours and days. One whale took five-and-a-half hours to just cut the ropes. Bigger ropes are harder to cut (and we’re) trying to develop new tools to cut those bigger ropes.”
Sharp said the problem with entanglements needs to be addressed soon before the right whale population suffers critical losses.
“If changes are enacted quickly, I can see some optimism,” he said. “If not, I feel we’re staring off the edge of a cliff and soon we’ll be at the point of no return.
Greene noted he’s seen fewer entanglements in recent years and he’s hopeful the fishing community will be able to cut down on the threat to the right whale.
“Fishermen are putting their all into this,” he said. “It’s nice to see that. A lot of members on our team are fishermen. They’re trying to help.”
-With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
BREAKING Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
P.E.I. and New Brunswick among most overworked provinces in Canada, study finds
A study says Prince Edward Island is the second most overworked province in Canada based on average weekly hours worked, while New Brunswick falls in third.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.
OPINION Prince Harry: Press intrusion and the family rift explored in new doc
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has once again found himself at the centre of media attention following his recent interview as part of 'Tabloids on Trial,' an ITV documentary on phone hacking and tabloid intrusion.