December 17th, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
NOAA Fisheries has released a new technical memo, Killer Whale Entanglements in Alaska: Summary Report 1991–2022. It provides comprehensive detail of 37 reported killer whale entanglement cases in Alaska over the past three decades.
This technical memo has been in development since spring of 2023, prior to reports of summer 2023 killer whale takes.
The entanglement of killer whales in fishing gear or marine debris is a serious animal welfare issue and conservation concern. It affects both the marine mammals and the Alaska fishing industry. Killer whales feed on the bait or the catch of fishers, which makes them more susceptible to entanglements. They can become entangled in fishing gear, marine debris, or other materials, which can lead to injury or death. Marine mammal entanglements are also detrimental to the fishers who incur financial and material loss when their gear becomes lost or damaged by the interaction.