Endangered Northern Right Whale Entangled in Net

March 21, 2004

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- Coast Guard, NOAA Fisheries and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission members combined forces and resources in an attempt to disentangle a juvenile Northern Right Whale caught in a fishing net 60 miles east of Mayport, Friday.

NOAA Fisheries notified the Coast Guard late Thursday that a Northern Right Whale entangled in a fishing net was sighted off the coast of Jacksonville and NOAA needed assistance getting to the whale.

The crew of the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Kingfisher along with NOAA Fisheries and FWCC members departed Coast Guard Group Mayport 7 a.m. Friday to intercept the whale using a tracking device previously attached to the mammal.

Despite an extensive joint effort to disentangle the whale Friday rescue crews were unsuccessful during the day-long operation. The juvenile Northern Right Whale thrashed about, making rescue efforts even more difficult. Adult Northern Right Whales range in size from 45 to 60-feet in length and weigh between 30 and 80 tons.

NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor the whale’s movements and make another attempt to disentangle the whale.

Northern Right Whales are considered to be the most endangered of the large whale species with a population estimated to be around 300. The mammal is typically found in the waters of Southern Georgia and Northern Florida from the beginning of December through the end of March as part of the animalÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s normal migration. Costal Southern Georgia and Northern Florida waters are also the only known calving grounds and are considered a critical habitat for this endangered species.

For more information on Northern Right Whales: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/species/Cetaceans/rightwhalefacts.html

The cutter Kingfisher is an 87-foot patrol boat from Mayport, Fla.

Endangered Northern Right Whale Entangled in Net

NOAA Fisheries notified the Coast Guard late Thursday that a Northern Right Whale entangled in a fishing net was sighted off the coast of Jacksonville and NOAA needed assistance getting to the whale.

NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor the whale’s movements and make another attempt to disentangle the whale.

For more information on Northern Right Whales: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/species/Cetaceans/rightwhalefacts.html

The cutter Kingfisher is an 87-foot patrol boat from Mayport, Fla.

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