The Center for Coastal Studies Marine Animal Entanglement Response team disentangled a young humpback whale off Rockport on Wednesday, August 5.
The whale was first spotted by recreational boaters Tuesday afternoon.
The team used a grappling hook to pull the rope free from the whale’s mouth, then cut away an attached buoy. They deployed large floats to the remaining rope, pulling it from the whale, which then sped out of Ipswich Bay.
The whale is expected to make a full recovery.
Marine Animal Entanglement Response Program Director Scott Landry said the fishing gear stripped from the whale has been handed off to NOAA Fisheries to determine its origin.
While humpback whales in our region have been removed from the U.S. endangered species list, Massachusetts still lists them as threatened.
Boaters are urged to report any entanglement sightings of whales, sea-turtles or other marine animals to the MAER team by calling 800-900-3622, or contacting the US Coast Guard on VHF 16, and to stand by the animal at a safe distance until trained responders arrive.
CCS disentanglement work is supported in part by grants from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and private foundations and donors. All disentanglement activities are conducted under a federal permit authorized by NOAA.
