Since 1980, over 1,800 entanglements have been documented, impacting more than 85% of the right whale population, with increasing incidents of moderate and severe injuries.

Efforts to disentangle the whales are complicated by their location and the challenging sea conditions, making such operations both dangerous and complex.

Two endangered North Atlantic right whales, a juvenile male and an adult female, were spotted entangled in fishing gear off the coast of Massachusetts, with the juvenile likely facing fatal injuries.

Despite a slight population increase of about 4% from 2020, the North Atlantic right whale population remains critically low, estimated at fewer than 400 individuals, and has seen a historical decline of approximately 25% from 2010 to 2020.

The whales were observed during an aerial survey approximately 50 miles southeast of Nantucket on December 9, 2024, highlighting the ongoing threats they face in their habitat.

Environmental advocates, including Oceana's Gib Brogan, stress the urgent need for new regulations on commercial fishing and shipping to protect these whales from human-induced threats.

In response to these threats, Massachusetts enacted a new law on December 18, 2024, allowing for the removal of abandoned fishing gear from its waters, which poses a significant danger to whale safety.

Climate change exacerbates the situation by altering food availability, forcing the whales to leave protected areas and increasing their vulnerability to entanglement and other threats.

Experts advocate for the adoption of innovative technologies, such as ropeless fishing gear, to minimize entanglements, emphasizing that many serious injuries and deaths are preventable.

A recent Oceana poll revealed that a significant majority of Americans support stronger protections for North Atlantic right whales and adjustments to human activities to help prevent their extinction.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is actively monitoring the situation, assessing potential responses to the entanglement, and collaborating with authorized responders.

The North Atlantic right whales migrate to Cape Cod Bay in early winter and typically give birth off the coasts of Georgia and Florida, but their slow reproductive rate complicates conservation efforts.