Have You Seen Any of These?

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Two Pods of Biggs Orca and Humpback Whales, Of Course

It was exciting to be able to confirm our first Orca sighting from our live streaming Real Time Monitoring Station. The link is in our Society News. The T101 family were breaching and appeared to be sharing a meal. The other family of Bigg's in this report are our 'resident' Transient Biggs known as the T002Cs. Evenn though Orca have been elusive over the past while, they seem to be staying for a little bit longer in the upper Georgia Strait areas. The Northern Resident pod, A30's, were last seen heading out of Queen Charlotte Strait northbound.

Humpback Whales still are in abundance to a point where some reporters have even becom complacent..sort of a ho-hum , yes there are Humpbacks. People may not understand how unprecidented all these sightings and numbers of different whales are. Are we becoming the next main area to view Humpback Whales? If you think there are none in your area, you may not be looking on the water. They are out there and we'd like to hear about it.

Pacific White Sided Dolphins seem to be holding in Discovery Passage into their favourite channels such as Nodales and into Johnstone Strait. THe smallest of our Cetacean species, the Harbour Porpoise were again reported in the West Vancouver area, one of their regular spots. Always important to know where these shy animals are as it is with all of small to large species.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society


Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002s, hunting by Marina Island



Society News & Events

Real Time Monitoring Station Update: We're LIVE!
Connect to our first installation mounted at Beach Gardens Marina click on our YouTube Channel Live Link. Rather than removing the stream, please bear with us as we work on the transmission problems causing the intermittent bouncy images. Even with the bouncy images, we still managed to have a couple of whale sightings. The hydrophone (underwater listening) installation will follow.

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Sightings Update


ISSUE SIGHTINGS MAP 2017-021

ISSUE SIGHTINGS MAP


TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES

Sun Jul 16 2017

16:30 • 5 Biggs Orca off Vivian Island, Georgia Strait.
15:43 • 5 Biggs Orca heading west off the north side of Harwood Island, Malaspina Strait.
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce

14:11 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading south abeam Atrevida Reef just north of Powell River in the middle of Malaspina Strait. Jos and Leigh are with the Orca.
Radio, overheard or call out

12:37 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ hunting, between Copeland Islands and Major Rock Islet, Malaspina Strait. The Orca are sharing a meal.


SIGHTING MEDIA
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002Cs, hunting between Copeland Islands and Major Rock Islet
Sun, 16 Jul 2017 - 3 items




SIGHTING MEDIA
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002Cs, hunting between Copeland Islands and Major Rock Islet
Sun, 16 Jul 2017 - 3 items


12:07 • est. 2 Biggs Orca moving slowly, heading south off Copeland Islands, Malaspina Strait.
Radio, overheard or call out


Sat Jul 15 2017

21:07 • 5 Biggs Orca off Littleton Point, Knight Inlet.
17:15 • Biggs Orca ◦T002s◦ heading north between Marina Reef and Cortez Reef, Sutil Channel. ▫ Second Hand
15:11 • Biggs Orca ◦T002s◦ heading south off Twin Islands, Malaspina Strait. With 4 foot waves. ▫ Leaving the Scene
14:49 • Biggs Orca ◦T002s◦ heading south-west off Powell Islets east of Twin Islands, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
13:48 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ moving slowly, heading south below quarry south of Van Anda, Texada Island, Malaspina Strait. Close to shore. ▫ Leaving the Scene
13:46 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ heading south just past the mine south of Van Anda Cove, Texada Island, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
11:42 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ off Powell River, Malaspina Strait.
11:11 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ taking long dives, heading south mid straight off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
10:34 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ heading west off Grief Point towards Blubber Bay, Malaspina Strait.
09:51 • 4 Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ back and forth, mid strait between Grief Point and Texada Island, Malaspina Strait. From camera.
09:50 • est. 3 Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ leaping, heading south off Beach Gardens Marina below Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
Laurie Sequana Stolmaker, Boston, Mass.

09:38 • 4 Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ facing south off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait. Webcam sighting.

Fri Jul 14 2017

17:20 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading south off the east side of Marina Island, Sutil Channel.
Kurt Staples, Eagle Eye Adventures



SIGHTING MEDIA
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002s, heading south off the east side of Marina Island
Fri, 14 Jul 2017 - 6 items







SIGHTING MEDIA
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002s, heading south off the east side of Marina Island
Fri, 14 Jul 2017 - 6 items


16:49 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading north off the red can at Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
Kurt Staples, Eagle Eye Adventures

15:07 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ south of Marina Island, Sutil Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Tenacious3 (Boat), Discovery Marine Safaris

12:54 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading east about 3 miles east of Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy, Georgia Strait. Pointing at Bakers Passage.


SIGHTING MEDIA
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002C's, heading east off of the Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy
Fri, 14 Jul 2017 - 4 items





SIGHTING MEDIA
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, T002C's, heading east off of the Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy
Fri, 14 Jul 2017 - 4 items


10:03 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ one mile off the red can of Cortes Island and two miles north of Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.


UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES

Mon Jul 17 2017

17:30 • est. 6 Orca hunting, heading north close to shore between Davis Bay and Sechelt, Georgia Strait. Whales were quite close to shore before they traveled north, but they stayed outside Sechelt for 20 minutes or more. ▫ Observed from Shore
Linda Reha-Krantz, Sechelt, BC


Sat Jul 15 2017

18:00 • est. 5 Orca heading north off Lagoon Head north of Nanaimo, Georgia Strait. Seen while swimming from Piper´s Lagoon across the ferry path. One very large dorsal following the pod.
Jennifer Jones, Nanaimo, BC



HUMPBACK WHALES

Tue Jul 18 2017

17:45 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south between Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy and Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
16:32 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south along the east side of Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce

16:18 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south between Marina Reef and Francisco Point, Sutil Channel.
14:52 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south from Viner Point almost abeam to Quadra Island Scallop Farm, Sutil Channel. Travelling 2-3 knots. ▫ Leaving the Scene
14:51 • 1 Humpback Whales at Browns Bay, Discovery Passage.
14:06 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north just southwest of South Rendezvous Island, Drew Passage.
13:30 • 4-6 Humpback Whales heading north-west off Texada Island, Georgia Strait. ▫ Second Hand
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce

12:30 • 1 Humpback Whales foraging, heading south off Tribune Bay, Hornby Island, Georgia Strait. Not positive that it was a Humback as it was a ways away. Large fluke, dark animal. My video is very far, not good quality. Whale moved back and forth across the area and came straight up multiple times, not a full breach. Saw the fluke only once. ▫ On Scene
Shari Dalager, Bowser, BC

11:35 • 2 Humpback Whales off Octopus Islands, Okisollo Channel. After 30 minutes, they headed out into the channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters

11:29 • 2 Humpback Whales in Waiatt Bay, Octopus Islands Marine Park, Okisollo Channel.
Radio, overheard or call out

11:18 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCX Notcho◦ off Von Donop Inlet, Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
11:12 • 2 Humpback Whales between Penn Islands and Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.


SIGHTING MEDIA
Humpback Whales
Two Humpback Whales breaching between the Penn Islands and Cortes Island
Tue, 18 Jul 2017 - 2 items



SIGHTING MEDIA
Humpback Whales
Two Humpback Whales breaching between the Penn Islands and Cortes Island
Tue, 18 Jul 2017 - 2 items


10:19 • 2 Humpback Whales between Marina Reef and Cortez Reef, Sutil Channel.
10:19 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCY Dalmatian; BCY Chinook◦ off Whaletown, Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
09:28 • 5 Humpback Whales north of Conville Point, Quadra Island, Hoskyn Channel.
09:22 • 3 Humpback Whales heading north off Conville Point, Quadra Island.
09:15 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north between the red can at Marina Reef and the red can at Cortez Reef, Sutil Channel.
09:00 • 2 Humpback Whales zig zagging, heading north towards Viner Point in the middle of Sutil Channel.

Mon Jul 17 2017

14:13 • 3 Humpback Whales off Whaletown, Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
13:18 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south along the west shore of Cortes Island across from Penn Islands, Sutil Channel.


SIGHTING MEDIA
Humpback Whales
Two Humpback Whales heading south along the west shore of Cortes Island
Mon, 17 Jul 2017 - 2 items



SIGHTING MEDIA
Humpback Whales
Two Humpback Whales heading south along the west shore of Cortes Island
Mon, 17 Jul 2017 - 2 items


13:08 • Humpback Whales breaching, off Raza Island, Raza Passage.
13:00 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCX0565 Nick; BCX Notcho◦ breaching, in Von Donop Inlet. Going around in circles. ▫ Leaving the Scene


SIGHTING MEDIA
Humpback Whales
Two Humpback Whales, BCX0565 Nick and BCX Notcho, breaching in Von Donop Inlet
Mon, 17 Jul 2017 - 7 items








SIGHTING MEDIA
Humpback Whales
Two Humpback Whales, BCX0565 Nick and BCX Notcho, breaching in Von Donop Inlet
Mon, 17 Jul 2017 - 7 items


12:33 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north off Surge Point, Read Island, Hoskyn Channel.
Ryan Stewart, Sonora Resort

11:35 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south off Harwood Island, Malaspina Strait.
10:40 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCX Notcho◦ off the west side of Cortes Island two miles from Carrington Bay, Sutil Channel.
10:16 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCY Chinook; BCY Dalmatian◦ off Whaletown, Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
09:54 • 3 Humpback Whales off Whaletown, Cortes Island.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures

09:42 • 1 Humpback Whales off the Powell River Mill (Pulp & Paper), Malaspina Strait. Bradden looking for the whale.
Radio, overheard or call out

09:15 • 2 Humpback Whales playing, east of Raza Island at the entrance to Deer Passage.

Sun Jul 16 2017

18:30 • 1-2 Humpback Whales taking long dives, between Harwood Island and the Powell River Mill (Pulp & Paper) in the middle of Malaspina Strait.
17:25 • 3 Humpback Whales heading south at the red can off Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
16:34 • 1 Humpback Whales off Francisco Point at the south end of Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
15:59 • 1 Humpback Whales breaching, off Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours

15:10 • 2 Humpback Whales in Carrington Bay.
15:07 • 2 Humpback Whales doing circles, between Penn Islands and Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
15:03 • 2 Humpback Whales off the red can at Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
12:56 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north between Willow Point and Cape Mudge Red Can Buoy, Georgia Strait. Appear to be heading into Sutil Channel.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures

12:40 • Humpback Whales off the west side of Twin Islands, Baker Passage.
Radio, overheard or call out

12:14 • 5 Humpback Whales off Penn Islands, Sutil Channel. Three whales along the east side of the island and two heading towards Rendezvous Islands.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures

12:07 • 4 Humpback Whales off the north end of Hornby Island, Georgia Strait.
Radio, overheard or call out

11:31 • 1 Humpback Whales heading into Hoskyn Channel. Elusive whale.
11:07 • 1 Humpback Whales resting, off Hyacinthe Point, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel. A smaller whale.
11:03 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCX Notcho; BCX0565 Nick◦ heading north about 200-m offshore along the northwest side of Cortes Island, Sutil Channel. Abeam Robertson Lake.
10:43 • 1 Humpback Whales out front of Open Bay, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures

10:26 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south between Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy and Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.
10:26 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north just north of Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.
10:21 • 1 Humpback Whales at Wilby Shoals, Georgia Strait.
09:55 • 1 Humpback Whales east of Raza Island, Deer Passage.
09:18 • 5-6 Humpback Whales off Whaletown, Cortes Island in the middle of Sutil Channel.
08:50 • 1 Humpback Whales off Center Islet west of Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
08:50 • 2 Humpback Whales southeast of Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
08:41 • 2 Humpback Whales between Viner Point and Rebecca Spit, Sutil Channel.
08:35 • 1 Humpback Whales between the red can at Marina Reef and the red can at Cortez Reef, Sutil Channel.

Sat Jul 15 2017

14:54 • 4 Humpback Whales breaching, off Rebecca Spit, Sutil Channel. With 4 foot waves.
14:53 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north 800 meters off South Rendezvous Island, Calm Channel.
11:33 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south between Harwood Island and Sliammon, Malaspina Strait.
10:15 • est. 6 Humpback Whales breaching, heading south off Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel. ▫ On Scene
Tatia MacGregor, Campbell River, BC

10:04 • 1 Humpback Whales moving slowly, heading north-west mid channel between Harwood Island and Sliammon, Malaspina Strait. Travelling between Harwood Island and scuttle bay (mainland) towards Mystery reef near Savary Island. ▫ Observed from Shore
Cheryl Rose, Powell River, BC

09:33 • 2 Humpback Whales 200 meters off the Quadra Island Scallop Farm below Heriot Bay, Sutil Channel.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures

09:30 • 2 Humpback Whales at the southern tip of Breton Islands, Sutil Channel.
08:57 • 1 Humpback Whales moving slowly, heading west between Cape Mudge Red Can Buoy and Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.

Fri Jul 14 2017

15:46 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north about 1.5 miles off Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
13:41 • 2 Humpback Whales one mile northeast of Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
12:41 • 2 Humpback Whales in Heriot Bay on the east side of Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
12:28 • 4 Humpback Whales grouped up off Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene
11:51 • 6 Humpback Whales circling, between Breton Islands and Rebecca Spit, Sutil Channel. Three pairs of whales. ▫ Leaving the Scene
11:36 • 3 Humpback Whales resting, off Marina Island, Sutil Channel.
11:30 • 3 Humpback Whales foraging, heading south-west just northwest of Donald Point, Chatfield Island, Return Channel. A single humpback was observed feeding in Return Channel at the top of Troup Pass from onboard MV Kittiwake. We moved on when the whale stayed down and anchored off Yeo Island 5 km west. Two humpbacks appeared moving from same direction, we had travelled westerly, both travelling close to shore. In return, one breached. ▫ On Scene
Vic Gladish, Bella Bella, BC

11:27 • 3 Humpback Whales between Marina Reef, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
10:48 • 6 Humpback Whales off Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures

10:16 • 6 Humpback Whales off Rebecca Spit in Sutil Channel. There were three groups each with two whales off Rebecca Spit.
10:16 • 3 Humpback Whales between Rebecca Spit and Marina Island, Sutil Channel.
10:16 • 1 Humpback Whales just west of Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. Information from Mario of CRWW. ▫ Second Hand
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive

10:07 • 1 Humpback Whales at Sentry Shoal, Georgia Strait.
09:30 • 3 Humpback Whales heading south-east away from Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
08:30 • est. 5 Humpback Whales between Rebecca Spit and Viner Point, Sutil Channel. ▫ Observed from Shore
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures



PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

Tue Jul 18 2017

16:20 • PWS Dolphins just south of Kanish Bay, Discovery Passage.
15:42 • PWS Dolphins spread out, between 45 Point and 9 foot bay, Discovery Passage.
14:07 • PWS Dolphins doing circles, near 9 foot bay across from Okisollo Channel in the middle of Discovery Passage.
12:48 • PWS Dolphins heading towards Campbell River in the middle of Discovery Passage.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters

11:03 • est. 70 PWS Dolphins off 45 Point, Quadra Island, Discovery Passage.
10:56 • PWS Dolphins off No Name Creek, Discovery Passage. ▫ Second Hand

Mon Jul 17 2017

15:44 • est. 100 PWS Dolphins moving slowly, heading south just north of Elk Bay, Discovery Passage.


SIGHTING MEDIA
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
About 100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins moving slowly just north of Elk Bay
Mon, 17 Jul 2017 - 3 items




SIGHTING MEDIA
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
About 100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins moving slowly just north of Elk Bay
Mon, 17 Jul 2017 - 3 items


13:41 • PWS Dolphins heading west off Chatham Point, Johnstone Strait. Close to the Vancouver Island side. Confirmed by Lighthouse. ▫ Second Hand
11:20 • est. 50 PWS Dolphins off Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait.
Jerry Weldon, Eagle Eye Adventures


Sun Jul 16 2017

18:09 • est. 100 PWS Dolphins playing, between Browns Bay and Seymour Narrows, Discovery Passage.
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive

16:53 • est. 100 PWS Dolphins heading south off Chatham Point, Discovery Passage.
14:16 • PWS Dolphins heading south below Atrevida Reef just north of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. The Transient (Bigg's) Orca may be following them.

Fri Jul 14 2017

14:52 • 15-20 PWS Dolphins heading west off Walkem Islands in the middle of Johnstone Strait.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours



HARBOUR PORPOISE

Fri Jul 14 2017

20:00 • 4-5 Harbour Porpoise heading north off Whytecliff Park, West Vancouver, Queen Charlotte Channel. ▫ Observed from Shore
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver, BC


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The Magazine



REGIONAL


Times Colonist, BC


Springer, the once-tiny orca rescued in Puget Sound and returned to Johnstone Strait 15 years ago, has given birth to a second calf.

The northern resident killer whale was spotted with a new youngster on B.C.’s north-central coast by CetaceaLab and confirmed by federal Fisheries staff.

Springer made headlines around the world. She is the first known case of a whale being captured and successfully reintegrated with her pod in the wild.

Calf No. 2 follows the birth of Springer’s first calf in 2013.

Springer, officially called A-73, is a healthy adult orca today. But she was orphaned and alone when she was found in Puget Sound near Seattle in 2002. The lonely two-year-old befriended a ferry and appeared sickly.

Puget Sound is a busy shipping area and whale experts figured she would die if left there. Canada and the U.S. teamed up to rescue her and return her to B.C. to be reunited with her family....


The Islands Sounder, WA

As part of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which was originally adopted in 1972 and later updated over the subsequent years, it is a federal offense to intentionally come within 200 yards of a marine mammal. An orca, otherwise known as a killer whale, is a marine mammal.

On the 4th of July, Eastsound was granted a rare opportunity to catch a view of a handful of transient orcas swimming through the shallow waters. Cameron Fralick of Deer Harbor Charters had followed the orcas in from Rosario into the shores of the village.

While observing the orcas from the safety of his vessel, Fralick observed a man jump off his kayak into the water just three feet away from the carnivorous animals.

Please don’t do that....


The Islands Sounder, WA


The village of Eastsound was treated to a rare sight on the Fourth of July when a few transient orcas swam through the sound.

“This is the first time I have ever heard of an Orca that close to town and only the third time I have seen them near Rosario,” said Deer Harbor Charters Captain Cameron Fralick, who was able to snap a few photos of the whales with his phone. “We picked them up around Rosario and watched them take a tour of Ship Bay, Crescent Beach, Madrona Point and Indian Island.”

The occurrence is likely to become more common given that the transient orca population is steadily growing. A June 2015 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife study showed that the population of the transient whale population is increasing.


WEST COAST


Science News



Humpback whales, those innovative foodies, have discovered their own pop-up restaurants.

Migrant humpbacks returning to southeastern Alaska in spring are the first of their kind known to make routine visits to fish hatcheries releasing young salmon into the sea, says marine ecologist Ellen Chenoweth.

The whales are “40 feet long and they’re feeding on fish that are the size of my finger,” says Chenoweth, of the Juneau fisheries center of University of Alaska Fairbanks. For tiny prey to be worthwhile to humpbacks, it’s good to find crowds — such as young salmon streaming out of hatchery nets.


The Northern View, BC


Boaters need to be extra alert and ready to slow down for humpback whales and other cetaceans when fishing on the North Coast.

That’s a key message from the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS), which has launched a campaign to try and reduce the number of whale strikes along the B.C. coast.

Two people were seriously injured when their guided fishing boat suddenly struck a humpback whale in Virago Sound on June 25. No one on the boat had a chance to see the whale surface. They hit at a cruising speed of more than 20 knots.

“This is not an isolated incident,” Caitlin Birdsall said, who coordinates the North Coast Cetacean Research Initiative through Vancouver Aquarium.

Her colleagues at MERS on Vancouver Island have recorded two other strikes in June and there was an incident in Douglas Channel last year with a vessel.....


NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL


The Gurardian, UK


A Canadian lobster fisherman who saved dozens of endangered whales after they became tangled in fishing nets has been killed – moments after a last successful rescue.

Joe Howlett, from Campobello Island, New Brunswick, boarded a vessel off the province’s eastern coast on Monday to help rescue a north Atlantic right whale that had become heavily tangled in rope.

The rescue was steeped in urgency: in the past month, seven north Atlantic right whales have been found floating lifelessly in the Gulf of St Lawrence, off Canada. With a global population believed to be around 525, the string of deaths suggests that more than 1% of the population has died in recent weeks.

Howlett helped free the whale – only to be struck by the mammal moments later, said Mackie Green of the Campobello Whale Rescue Team. “They got the whale totally disentangled and then some kind of freak thing happened and the whale made a big flip,” Green, who was not onboard the vessel, told the Canadian Press.

Howlett had previously saved some two dozen whales over the past 15 years, making use of his deep knowledge of knots and ropes to set the huge mammals free....


IFAW - International Fund For Animal Welfare



August 2016 - A 6 year old endangered right whale was found caught up in a huge mass of fishing gear. Thankfully the Campobello Whale Rescue Team found him in time. On this team was Joe Howlett. Joe has dedicated countless hours to the rescue of whales in the Bay of Fundy and the surrounding waters of eastern Canada. He died Tuesday, July 11, 2017 after rescuing a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.


CTV News

FREDERICTON -- An American agency that responds to marine mammals in distress has halted its efforts to free large whales trapped in fishing gear following the recent death of a whale rescuer in New Brunswick.
Chris Oliver, assistant administrator with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, extended condolences Wednesday to the family of Joe Howlett of Campobello Island.
Howlett, who also worked as a lobster fisherman, was killed Monday after freeing a North Atlantic right whale that had been entangled in fishing gear near Shippagan, N.B. A close friend of Howlett's said the 59-year-old veteran fisherman was hit by the whale just after it was cut free and started swimming away....


Global News, BC


The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is extending the window to snow crab fisherman in Atlantic Canada, while making a move to protect an endangered species of whale in the area.

The season was supposed to end on the July 14, but the window has now been increased by two weeks so that the season will now end at 11:59 p.m. on July 28. The season will be extended throughout most of snow crab fishing area 12.

The move comes in response to a number of deaths to endangered whales and the death of Joe Howlett, a whale rescuer.


Worcester Telegram, MA


The sport of sailboat racing and nonprofit groups are floating new guidelines aimed at increasing awareness of the majestic mammals and reducing potentially fatal collisions with endangered North Atlantic right whales and other species.

The guidelines were just incorporated into two major open-ocean sailing competitions — the Marblehead to Halifax race starting Sunday from Massachusetts and stretching to Nova Scotia; and last week’s Vineyard Cup regatta off Martha’s Vineyard.

Race crews for both events were given customized information telling them where whales were likely to congregate along their courses.

Collisions can be rough on competitors — and crippling or deadly for whales.

Marine scientists said last month that six rare right whales died in Canadian waters in the past few weeks. Preliminary investigations suggest collisions with vessels likely were to blame for at least two of those deaths, and another whale died after becoming entangled in fishing gear....

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