Whale Entanglements Surge Off California Coast — NOAA Calls For Urgent, Coordinated Action

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's latest national report reveals a sharp rise in large whale entanglements in U.S. waters, with the trend most pronounced along the California coast. Scientists and rescuers say the increase underscores an urgent need for coordinated management, new fishing technologies and stronger public reporting.

Key Findings

• Confirmed entanglements: NOAA documented 95 confirmed large whale entanglements in 2024, up from 64 in 2023.
• Live animals affected: 87 of the 2024 incidents involved live whales; three of those animals later died.
• Geographic hotspots: 71% of live entanglements occurred off the coasts of California, Massachusetts, Alaska and Hawaiʻi, with California accounting for 25% of live cases.
• Primary causes: 48% of entanglements were directly linked to commercial or recreational fishing gear. Humpback whales were the most frequently affected species.

'These findings underscore an urgent need for coordinated action,' said Kathi George, Director of Cetacean Conservation Biology at The Marine Mammal Center.

Why Entanglements Matter

Entangling lines and nets can restrict a whale's ability to swim, feed and breathe, causing severe injuries, infections, amputation of flippers or tails, starvation or drowning. While some animals shed gear on their own, many remain entangled for days, months or even years, suffering ongoing harm.

Entanglements are one part of a larger threat matrix that includes vessel strikes, increasing ocean noise, plastic pollution and warming seas — all of which shift whale distribution and behavior and complicate conservation efforts.

Ecological And Economic Consequences

Whales play critical roles in ocean ecosystems. Their fecal plumes fertilize phytoplankton, which supports marine food chains and carbon uptake. Diving and foraging circulate nutrients through the water column, and whale carcasses deliver carbon to the deep sea for long-term storage. Declines in whale populations can therefore weaken the ocean's ability to regulate carbon and sustain fisheries, with economic impacts for coastal communities that depend on healthy marine ecosystems for tourism and harvests.

Response Efforts And Solutions

The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program is working with the U.S. Large Whale Entanglement Response Network to track incidents, mobilize trained responders and improve documentation so managers can craft more effective protections. NOAA Fisheries urges the public not to attempt animal disentanglement and to contact professional responders instead.

Fishermen and researchers are testing alternatives such as ropeless fishing gear that keeps lines off the seafloor until retrieval — typically using a release device that functions like a pop-up buoy. Wider adoption of such technology, combined with gear marking, fishing-practice changes, seasonal management and stronger monitoring, could significantly reduce entanglement risk.

The International Whaling Commission estimates that bycatch and entanglements kill more than 300,000 whales and dolphins globally each year, highlighting the scale of the problem and the need for international as well as local action.

How The Public Can Help

• Do not attempt to approach or disentangle a whale; this is dangerous for people and animals.
• Report suspected entanglements to state or 24-hour regional stranding hotlines so trained responders can be deployed quickly.
• Support local response networks, responsible seafood initiatives and trials of ropeless gear to accelerate safer fishing practices.

With coordinated policy, technological innovation and public vigilance, experts say entanglement trends can be reversed — protecting whales and the coastal economies and ecosystems that depend on them.