Humpback Whale Successfully Freed from Entanglement in Endicott Arm

The Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness, located 50 miles south of Juneau, Alaska, features a pair of steep glacial fjords: Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm. While remote, the waters in this area see steady vessel traffic, ranging from massive cruise ships and small charter boats to commercial fishing vessels and private yachts.

On the evening of May 10, 2026, several mariners noticed a juvenile humpback whale entangled in the narrow opening to Endicott Arm. They reported the sighting to the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network 24-hour hotline . These timely reports from observers in the area were crucial for the initial assessment of the whale and its entanglement. It allowed regional coordinators to develop an effective response plan.

"We formed a network of eyes on the water-vessel crews coordinating real-time updates between one another and relaying them to us," said NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Specialist Dr. Suzie Teerlink, an authorized large whale entanglement advanced responder on the team. "That communication was critical. It gave us insight into the nature of the entanglement, helped us build a safe response plan, and gave us confidence that we could relocate the whale."

In Alaska's vast and dynamic marine environment, timely public reporting often makes the difference in conducting a successful response.

The Entanglement

The whale was entangled in the lines of two commercial Tanner crab pots, each pot weighing approximately 800 pounds.

Responders believe the whale likely encountered one pot line while feeding and subsequently became entangled in the second pot while towing the first. Heavy lines ran through the whale's mouth and baleen. They led back to a tight knot of line wrapped around the whale's peduncle-the area just in front of the tail or flukes.

"This configuration effectively hog-tied the whale and prevented it from using its flukes normally, forcing the whale to rely primarily on its pectoral fins to reach the surface to breathe," said Teerlink.

The two weighted pots on the seafloor acted as anchors, and the whale was unable to move far from the mouth of Endicott Arm.

The Response

NOAA's Large Whale Entanglement Response Program trains and authorizes specialized responders to conduct disentanglement efforts. In Alaska, trained teams are strategically positioned throughout the state with access to specialized gear to respond quickly.

A Juneau-based response team mobilized on May 11. The team included biologists from NOAA Fisheries, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Marine Mammal program, and local partners from Alaska Sea to Shore. The U.S. Coast Guard Station Juneau supported the operation aboard their response vessel, serving as a safety boat and helping direct vessel traffic near the entangled whale.

"Cutting gear off an animal of this size can be dangerous," said John Moran, a NOAA research fisheries biologist and advanced responder on the team. "We use long poles fitted with specialized knives to extend our reach. That allows us to cut lines while reducing the risk of being injured by a 40-ton animal."

Over 5 hours, responders worked carefully and patiently to make four precise cuts that freed the whale from the crab pots and most of the entangling lines. A small section of unknotted line remained threaded through the animal's mouth when it swam away.

Based on previous cases, responders are hopeful the remaining line will work its way free and the whale will recover fully.

"We are incredibly grateful to the whale watch community and everyone who reported this entangled whale to the NOAA Fisheries hotline. The details provided by the public enabled our response team to prepare and execute a safe response to this life-threatening entanglement, leading to a successful outcome," said Sadie Wright, Large Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator for the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region.

Identifying the Whale

Humpback whales are typically identified by the unique black-and-white patterns on the underside of their flukes. In this case, responders were unable to see the underside of the flukes because the entanglement restricted tail movement.

"If we know who the whale is, we can document future sightings and collect valuable data on movement and survival following this traumatic event," said Teerlink. "While we haven't confirmed the identification of this whale, we have some information we can use to potentially connect it to future sightings."

The team collected photographs of the dorsal fin, which may assist with identification. They also gathered tiny pieces of skin from the entangling gear that may allow for genetic identification from DNA.

Entanglements in Alaska

Entanglement is one of the leading human-caused threats to large whales worldwide. In Alaska, humpback whales feed heavily in Alaska's resource-rich summer waters. They may encounter fishing gear such as crab pots, gillnets, and longlines, as well as other potentially entangling materials, including anchor lines and marine debris.

Alaska's Large Whale Entanglement Response Network relies on trained responders, strong partnerships with industry and local communities, and prompt public reporting. This allows the network to provide timely, safe, and effective response across thousands of miles of coastline in the state. Early reporting provides the best chance for a successful outcome-for both whales and mariners. We encourage gear owners to remove lines from the water when not in use and to use sinking line instead of floating line when possible.

What To Do if You See an Entangled Marine Mammal

Only authorized, experienced responders and who have the appropriate training, experience, equipment, and support should attempt to disentangle or closely approach an entangled marine mammal. When well-intentioned members of the public take matters into their own hands to try and save a whale, they put themselves and the animals at risk. It's also against the law. If you see a marine mammal in distress, please keep a safe distance and do not move or touch the animal .

The best way you can help an entangled marine mammal is to immediately report it by calling the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network 24-hour Hotline at (877) 925-7773, or the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.

When reporting an entangled marine mammal, provide the following information:

• Date
• Location of the animal (including latitude and longitude, if known)
• A detailed description of the entangling gear or debris
• Where the entanglement is located on the animal
• The behavior and direction of the animal
• Condition of the animal (alive or dead)
• Species (if known)

Photos or videos from different angles and from a safe and legal distance (for humpbacks, greater than 100 yards) can provide valuable information to entanglement response teams. If possible, monitor the animal from at least 100 yards away until you receive additional guidance from NOAA or an authorized response team arrives.

If you would like to learn more about Large Whale Entanglement Response, training, and authorization in Alaska, NOAA Fisheries offers free online first responder training .

It takes a lot of people coming together to help save a whale from entanglement. NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region would like to thank the many volunteers, agencies, and companies who assisted in this response, including:

• Alaska Sea to Shore
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game
• U.S. Coast Guard Station Juneau
• Captains and crew on the Liseron, Wilderness Discoverer, Queen Elizabeth, several Allen Marine catamarans, Forest Service Wilderness Rangers, and other boat operators in the vicinity who helped to coordinate and report the sighting.