Monday, December 12, 2005

Right Whale Off Hatteras Still Entangled

It was a little rough today but if you were fishing off Hatteras today you might have seen a small flotilla 20 miles out. NOAA's Fisheries Service and other agencies were working frantically to free a right whale from over a hundred feet of net and rigging. The right whale is the most endangered species in the Atlantic and only about 300 are known to still exist. NOAA's Fisheries Service first found the whale last week while performing routine aerial surveys off the coast of Georgia and has been following the whale since December 3rd in order to free it. They were able to attach a GPS tracking beacon on the right whale today but rough seas have made it hard to remove the debris. NOAA, the whale, and most likely a media entourage will be off Hatteras for at least a few more days as they continue to track the whale and free it. Any anglers in the area should try and steer clear; although mariners are only required to give the animals a 500 foot berth, NOAA needs a good deal of room to get the job done as quickly as possible.

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