Greater Atlantic Entanglements

Entanglements in the Greater Atlantic Region

Entanglements of large whales and sea turtles have been documented for decades and are considered to be one of the leading causes of mortality. In the Greater Atlantic Region, spanning the waters from Maine through Virginia, entanglements involving vertical lines are frequently observed. Vertical lines can be hundreds of feet long as they connect the fixed-fishing gear set on the seafloor to a buoy that rests on the surface of the water. Fixed-fishing gear is typically used in pot/trap and gillnet fisheries in both state and federal waters. Vulnerable species, like humpback whales, leatherback sea turtles, and the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales, have been documented to face entanglement in the vertical lines of fisheries along the coast of the Greater Atlantic Region. 

Whales

The waters along the Atlantic Coast of the United States are home to several different species of large whales. Unfortunately, large whales often become entangled in the vertical lines of fixed-fishing gear. The species most frequently impacted in the Greater Atlantic Region include humpback whales, minke whales, North Atlantic right whales, and fin whales. 

Multiple species of whales are currently facing an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) along the Atlantic coast. Humpback whale, minke whale, and North Atlantic Right Whale populations have seen an increase in mortality events in recent years, prompting investigation to determine the cause. Different anthropogenic, or human-induced, causes have been linked to these events, including entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strike injuries. 

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles can often be found as far north as Maine in the United States. Endangered sea turtles, including leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles, have been documented facing entanglement in the vertical lines of fishing gear in the Greater Atlantic Region.

Sea turtles are often not able to break away or free themselves from entanglement in vertical lines due to the weight of the gear. On multiple occasions, sea turtles have been found anchored to the gear itself, leaving them at risk of drowning.

U.S. American Lobster Fishery

It can be difficult to determine the origin of gear that is responsible for entangling a whale or sea turtle even if the gear is uniquely marked. The gear can be shed by the time a rescue effort commences or the animal may never be seen again after the initial sighting. Sometimes gear is able to be retrieved, however, it can be a section of rope or gear that is unmarked. Despite these obstacles, numerous entanglements have been able to be linked back to specific fisheries along the Atlantic coast, including the U.S. American Lobster fishery.

From 2014-2021, out of the confirmed entanglements with a determined gear origin in the Greater Atlantic Region involving vertical lines, 81.5% of entanglements involved U.S. American lobster gear.