Recent studies have proven that using a patient monitoring system attached to a whale caught in fishing gear change a whales swimming and diving behavior. The monitoring showed how fishing gear interrupt a whale’s ability to eat and migrate normally, lowers their energy level as they drag the year for months or even years, and can result in a slow death. The scientist involved in the entanglement response suction cupped a device called a Dtag to a two year old
North Atlantic right whale named Eg 3911. The Dtag, developed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recorded movements before, during, and after at the disentanglement operations. The second Eg 3911 disentangled from most of the fishing gear, she swam faster, dove twice as deep, and for longer periods. The Dtag opened the eyes of the problems of patient monitoring.
North Atlantic right whales are endangered today with a population of 450-500. A possible solution to this problem is a test of how the fish industry can still be successful while at the same time deploying less gear so we can reduce the risk of marine mammals that meet fishing gear. A barrier to this solution is pretty simple, are the fishing company’s going to be willing to compensate profit just because whales are suffering a slow and painful death. In my opinion, if the fishing companies can figure out how to continue catching fish and stop catching the whales then the problem will be solved. But, unless the fishing companies are proposed with an idea on how to stop catching whales then I feel the problem will keep continuing and getting worse. Whales are becoming more endangered and we need to make every effort we can to keep them safe.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194229.htm
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Fishing is a necessity and a huge industry, but whales are dying in the process. Fishing gear should be cleaned up after use and not left in the ocean. Some types of whales are endangered and could end up being extinct. It is important that we fix this problem and save these mammals.
Payton I completely agree, something needs to be done in order to save the whales! A population of 450-500 is extremely delicate and will continue to decrease if no solution is set in place. It appears as if this fishing gear affects whales in every aspect of their lives which makes the problem even more prevalent. Like you and Patrick were both saying the majority of fishermen may not be willing to sacrifice income for the well-being of whales. Maybe wildlife organizations can give an incentive to those who practice with safe fishing equipment. Or maybe an organization can give a label/seal to those fishermen who are environmentally friendly. That way it will let the customers know if the fishermen they’re buying from is environmentally friendly.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that this affected all aspects of the whale’s life! I agree with what you said about the different benefits that could be given to fishers who would be willing to fish with less equipment, or other ways to lessen their impact on the whales. I am sure that these are not the only animals that are affected by this. I have a question though, did they just happen to have a tag on a whale before it got tangled and were alerted to it in time to watch it’s affect on the whale’s behavior, or did they actually entangle a whale in order to get their data? Also, is there a team who would be able to go and disentangle whales that are already stuck in the nets? Because although all those ideas were good ones, one must admit that they will take a while to be implemented.
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