#whale entanglement maui

A mother humpback whale was freed of more than 550 feet of line and marine debris wrapped tightly around its head during a disentanglement effort yesterday off Lahaina. Rescuers say the successful response increased the survival chances for both the mother whale and her calf.

The vessel will help in efforts to free whales that get entangled in fishing gear. Entanglement has been identified as a primary threat to the species, with more than 50% of humpbacks in some regions having been recently entangled, according to sanctuary staff estimates.

The Coast Guard received reports that an adult male humpback was entangled in fishing net from its head to tail, and was dragging two orange buoys.