Margie introduced our guest speaker today, Ed Lyman from the Hawaiian Islands Disentanglement Network department of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Mr. Lyman explained entanglement is one of the primary threats to humpback whales today. Entanglement threatens humpback whales and many other marine animals. It has been estimated that over 300,000 cetaceans die each year world-wide as a result of entanglements. The sources of these entanglements are extensive and diverse.

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The Disentanglement Network response works with many state and federal agencies (e.g. Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office, the U.S. Coast Guard), private non-governmental organizations, fishermen, researchers, and other individuals. The network was formed in 2002 in an attempt to free endangered humpback whales and other marine animals from life threatening entanglements and at the same time gather valuable information that will help mitigate the issue of marine debris and future entanglements.

Marine mammal entanglement, or by-catch, is a global problem that every year results in the death of hundred of thousands of whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals. Entanglement may result in starvation or drowning due to restricted movement, physical trauma and systemic infections, and/ or contribute to other threats, like ship strikes. For Hawaii’s smaller marine mammals, like the monk seals and dolphins, death is typically immediate, and due to drowning. However, large whales, like the humpback whale, can typically pull gear, or parts of it, off the ocean floor, and are generally not in immediate risk of drowning.

Whale rescue is complex and dangerous for the whale rescuers as well as the animal. For this reason Network response to entangled whales, involving any close approach (closer than 100 yards) to the animal, may only be attempted by authorized persons working under NOAA Fisheries’ MMHSRP permit who are experienced, trained, knowledgeable, and have proper support and equipment.

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