“The Whale disEntanglement Team (WET) and volunteers from Monterey Bay Marine Life Studies disentangled this humpback whale in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in May 2014; the whale was re-sighted two months later with its tail wound healing nicely! Unfortunately, reports of whales entangled in lost fishing gear have dramatically increased over the past three years within the sanctuary. Lost crab pots or traps can unintentionally tangle whale flippers and flukes as they forage and travel in the Monterey Bay. If you see a marine mammal in distress, please maintain 100 yards distance, and call the NOAA Response Hotline at 1-877-SOS-WHALe (1-877-767-9425).”

Read the NOAA post here