PROVINCETOWN – A North Atlantic right whale last seen in Cape Cod Bay in April has been spotted just off Canada now entangled in fishing gear, according to the New England Aquarium.
“Shelagh” (Catalog #4510) has been sighted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence towing gear, marking the fifth entanglement for the whale first sighted in 2015.
Aquarium officials say the whale’s fifth entanglement highlights the risk right whales are facing as the species overlaps with fixed fishing gear throughout their range, adding that ropeless gear is vital for their survival.
“We are urging both countries to expedite these efforts and to support their fisheries in making this transition that would enable fishing to continue and allow the North Atlantic right whale population to recover.”
About Grady Culhane
