Team frees entangled humpback near POW Island

November 29, 2018

Photo courtesy of NOAA/Scott Van Valin, NOAA MMHSRP Permit 18786-03

A humpback whale entangled in heavy gauge lines used for mooring docks, taken November 21 near Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.

Members of NOAA's North Pacific Large Whale Entanglement Response Team freed an entangled humpback whale in Sarkar Cove, north of Naukati on Prince of Wales Island on Wed., Nov. 21. NOAA received word of the possibly life-threatening entanglement on Tues., Nov. 20.

Dr. Fred Sharpe, an experienced member of the team and research biologist was flown to the scene Wednesday morning to assess options for response. He consulted with NOAA's lead large whale entanglement response expert Ed Lyman on safe strategies before attempting to disentangle the whale.

The sub adult humpback was entangled...

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