September 23, 2025 — Incidents of large whales becoming entangled in fishing gear and marine debris rose in 2024 to 95 confirmed cases, up from 64 confirmed cases recorded in 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Sep. 18.
The news from NOAA Fisheries came with the release of its National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2024. The total is “also above the average annual number of confirmed entanglements over the previous 17 years, which was 71.4,” according to an agency statement.
“We will continue to analyze data from 2024 to understand what factors contributed to the increase and whether this increase is temporary or part of a longer term trend.”