'West Hawaii Today' Whale StoryWhat a coincidence! After we had added our post that the 'Humpback whales are back in Hawaii', we found this sad story today in West Hawaii Today's headlines. An entangled Humpback Whale was found on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island on Tuesday. As we all know Humpback whales count to the endangered species and every effort will be made to save a 40-foot humpback whale entangled in a web of fishing gear. Experts will try to free tangled humpback today.
A team of scientists and marine life experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration postponed an attempt to rescue the whale Tuesday, as they did not have local experts to free the whale. Specialists from Maui will attempt to free the whale.This is the first confirmed report of a whale entanglement in waters off the Big Island this season, said Justin Viezbicke, marine conservation coordinator for NOAA's Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. He reminded the public that humpback whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to come within 100 yards of a humpback whale in Hawaiian waters without special permission from NOAA's Marine Fisheries Service. Violators face penalties up to $25,000.
Ocean Sports, a boating company based in Waikoloa Beach Resort, first spotted the adult humpback whale at 10:20 a.m. from their sailing catamaran Alala about three miles offshore of Kawaihae. Ocean Sports immediately contacted the NOAA's Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. They had also noticed that the whale was entangled in about 60 ft of fishing gear.
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