Increase in Whale Entanglements off Australia's East Coast
Scientists have observed a troubling rise in the number of whales caught and tangled in fishing and shark nets during this migration season.
A total of 48 separate entanglements of humpback whales have been documented on the east coast in the past few months, following last year's estimate of 45 entangled whales. This information was collected from social media posts, newspaper articles, and enquiries to authorities.
Unfortunately, there is no official database, although we need one.
The International Whaling Commission has voluntary reports on its portal, which show that consistent with the increasing population size, entanglements of humpback whales in set fishing gear have been rising steadily since the 1990s. For example, in 2017, there were about 20 entanglements.
Rising entanglements are part of a concerning trend seen in the United States and elsewhere.
Author's summary: Whales are getting caught in nets off Australia's coast.