A severely injured humpback whale will likely not survive if fisheries officials cannot find it and cut away the hundreds of metres of fishing line that it鈥檚 caught up in.
Officials with Fisheries and Oceans Canada last had contact with the humpback off the coast of Tofino over the weekend. However, it broke a tether line and got away.
鈥淲hen we arrived the animal was in distress,鈥� Paul Cottrell of Fisheries and Oceans told CTV Vancouver.
Rope and fishing line are wrapped around the whale, causing deep cuts and scarring.
鈥淵ou can tell that it鈥檚 definitely not doing well,鈥� Cottrell said.
Boaters are being asked to keep an eye out for the whale. It was last seen heading south from Tofino.
Many animals have been spotted over the years tangled in fishing line, and experts believe many more incidences go unreported because much of B.C.鈥檚 long coastline is uninhabited.
Marine zoologist Dr. Anna Hall calls injury to wildlife by fishing equipment 鈥渁 growing problem.鈥�
In April, researchers rescued a 40-foot humpback off the coast of Washington State. In March, the Vancouver Aquarium鈥檚 marine mammal rescue team had to cut fishing lines off a sea lion south of Courtney.
鈥淭he fishermen have got to make a living, the whales have got to make a living and unfortunately sometimes the gear and the whales overlap,鈥� Hall said.
This latest injured humpback could be anywhere along the coast. But Fisheries and Oceans officials say that if they can locate the animal, they are confident they will get another good shot at cutting the lines.
With a report from CTV Vancouver鈥檚 Scott Hurst
