A federally-led necropsy into the death of a North Atlantic right whale that washed ashore on the Vineyard earlier this year has been completed, and officials are concluding that the whale died from chronic entanglement in fishing gear.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries department announced Wednesday that it had concluded an examination of the whale’s tissues using a microscope — called histopathology — as well as diagnostic testing. The NOAA Office of Law Enforcement is still investigating the case.
The death of the right whale was felt around the Island in January, as the species is nearing extinction, with only approximately 360 left in the wild. The death also fueled unfounded speculation that the offshore wind industry somehow led to the whale’s death.
While NOAA officially concluded that entanglement was the cause of death on Wednesday, the federal agency reported in February that trauma caused by a line from a Maine fishing boat was the likely cause of death. A preliminary analysis of gear that was embedded in the juvenile female whale showed a rope was consistent with gear used in Maine waters for trap and pot buoy lines.
According to NOAA, the leading causes of death among right whales are entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes.
The whale was identified as an unnamed 3-year-old with a catalog number of 5120, the only known calf of the whale Squilla (Catalog No. 3720). NOAA officials reported that the rope had been entangled around the young whale since 2022, when it was first spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. Multiple attempts were made to disentangle the whale in January and February 2023, off Cape Cod. She was seen again in June last year in Canadian waters, when she was reported to be in worse condition.
The young whale washed ashore dead on Cow Bay in Edgartown.
The whale’s bones and baleen have been claimed by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head for their potential use, and the rest of the animal was buried in Aquinnah.
It seems that NOAA has contradicted itself or at least put themselves in a position of being less consistent with their policies and findings.
Yes , we know the whale had an entanglement that originated a few years prior from another state that had no “whale safe ” measures in place , they do now , but NOAA has stated that a compromised whale can be pushed over the edge by OSW development, so how do they/we know that this wasn’t the case for this particular whale?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/arpbp3qSMz8BPFqSA
A detection of a cortisol spike in the blubber can be attributed to the entanglement but how do they determine where to divide the level of a spike if the whale was exposed to other stressors ? In my opinion this leads to more questions than answers.
As I’ve mentioned before, NOAA has changed their policy on public necropsy information, both B and C level necropsy information is withheld from the public until 2026. I’m a little bothered by their lack of transparency and consistency here.
That information may or may not have been helpful in this case , we will never know.
Until then we have to take NOAAs word on their findings. They control the data, so they control the facts. Just sayin
https://academic.oup.com/conphys/article/9/1/coaa133/6082836
You sound very defensive on this. Why ?
Jason, you can gather your own data.
Never ever trust the government.
They are elected by we the people.
So far.
Who needs the science or the scientists when you have speculation and conspiracy theories? Talk about contradictions and inconsistencies. Rather than take any blame or responsibility like what is being demanded of offshore wind, let’s bend over backwards to blame fishing entanglements on offshore wind. I support fishermen and their industry, but the blame shifting here is wholly transparent, disingenuous and irresponsible.
So now you’re an marine biologist? Just try to throw anything you can at OSW and see what sticks huh?
The nihilism of your statement about NOAA controlling the facts speaks volumes about the false logic of all of your arguments. In the the end facts are what we have to go on. I am capable of changing my mind on an argument when I’m presented with facts that contradict my previous view.
Jason–you sound like some of the racists I know who
claim that George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose and the
fact that a police officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 45 seconds
had little to do with it. They also falsely claim
that it was counted as a COVID death.
Come on Jason, that whale died from entanglement—it had nothing
to do with OSW.
You can admit it.
Cue the tin foil hat brigade.
Where did I blame OSW for #5120s death? I was stating that NOAA and BOEM presented scenarios to us of what could happen to a compromised whale , a scenario of exactly what happened here.
We had a compromised (entangled) whale on her migration south in the vicinity of VW1 construction and died.
NOAA and BOEM have left the door open to question everything.
The usual personal attacks from the usual suspects, those so certain of that which is uncertain that they cannot allow another, differing opinion without demeaning. Racist? Tin foil hats? Seriously? Questioning authority (remember, that’s what we old folks learned during the Nixon years and the Vietnam years) is a good thing. Those who are certain of their beliefs, overlooking the changing, expert opinions and never questioning that there may be bias, inconsistencies, errors in data, and an agenda backed by money, are, in fact, ignorantly blissful in what they hold onto. Some people might call it “stupid”. Wisdom comes from accepting the uncertainties, certainly in science, and admitting when you were wrong or could be wrong. I was wrong about much in these last years, but continuing these personal, nasty attacks serves only to distance more people from whatever the non-experts are selling. It’s fine to be so sure of scientific uncertainties, as long as you don’t mind giving up being respected. Questioning is respectable. I cannot imagine that the usual suspects have convinced anyone of anything, except they are always there to throw venom.
I thank Jason Gale for questioning that which is undeniably uncertain. His points, to question this authority, are more convincing than dictatorial insulters. It pays to believe so fervently in ocean windmills and to blame fishermen for disruptions and deaths to marine life, as long as you see who is benefitting financially. Im not sure if it’s naive or a personality disorder. Questioning is not part of the dictatorial, belittling behaviors so rampant here, so that alone is a good reason to celebrate Jason Gale’s intelligent and enlightening comments. There are more questions than answers about ocean windmills, and anyone going all-in is being hornswaggled, despite fervent beliefs that they know it all and “look Ma, I posted a link”. The smartest people I know are not stuck in believing in “facts” that move, change, and can be manipulated and taken out of context. Answers usually go along with being a little bit right and a little bit wrong, and that’s why questioning is a good thing.
Jackie,
In a perfect world attacking someone for just expressing their opinions wouldn’t be right however he’s drawing a conclusion of a supposed connection not an actual one. Then he supports it with information that hasn’t been proven at all. Adding in that all the information is controlled by NOAA. That just isn’t true. There have been multiple agencies both public and private that have come to the same conclusion about the greatest dangers to ocean life and off-shore wind isn’t one of them. The greatest threats to ocean life in the short term are shipping and fishing boats and in the long term fossil fuel pollution and climate change. Off-shore wind is an effort to deal with the long term dangers and should be applauded.
Chris, attacking someone just for expressing their opinions isn’t right. No “however” about it. This is supposed to be a moderated forum. No one is looking for perfection. We practice to do better. Jason is more informed on this topic than others. I respect Jason’s informed and questioning opinion. Intolerant statements are not opinions. They are personal attacks. Imagine accusing Jason of sounding like a racist and bringing in George Floyd! I’d always acknowledge the importance of pointing out any opinion that was racist, or antisemitic for that matter, but we get a ridiculously inappropriate statement of racism here. You bet that exposes something, but nothing to do with the importance of seeking answers to the OSW debate. Yes, it’s still a debate, despite a cult-like, often venomous defense of unresolved issues. Again, thank you to Jason Gale on this topic.
Jackie– I think Jason is one of the most thoughtful and informed
people commenting about OSW here. He is unquestionably one of
the most informed persons on this topic. I don’t hold it against him that he
frequently seems to “know it all” and does the “look Ma, I posted a link”
thing often. Two of them in one comment in this case.
I think it’s pretty weird that you mock him for providing real information.
I actually find his links quite informative, and provide the
basis for an informed debate. It’s much better than some who
constantly parrott the ignorant tropes about all the electricity going
to New York or maybe China, and that every whale that dies or every dolphin
that beaches is because of OSW.
I agree with you that answers usually go along with being a little bit right
and a little bit wrong, and that’s why questioning is a good thing.
But 5120’s death was from entanglement–
I think it is a bit irresponsible that Jason is implying that NOAA is controlling
the data and the facts. The way he framed that statement could
be interpreted that there is something
“fishy ” going on.
Even intelligent people cling to debunked beliefs and conspiracy theories
sometimes.
destruction of her universe!
warming, polluted oceans; plastic, water, and sound pollution from naval sonic activity, wind, and oil rig construction; over-fishing; entanglements; ship strikes; extinction of her kind —
how can we be certain that our young whale-sister’s death was not caused by a broken heart?
With that logic why couldn’t it be caused by practically anything in the universe. To see an animal wrapped so tight with ropes from fishermen that it can’t move and then to say it was just her feelings that caused her death is frankly so demeaning to her life that I can’t begin to express my feelings.
?
It is tiring to watch boat owners and fishermen blaming everything beyond what we already know are the leading killers of all marine mammal types: Boats and fishing tackle.