Officials spot entangled right whale in Gulf of St. Lawrence
The whale was seen during a surveillance flight, but the entanglement was not noticed until experts reviewed footage this week.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has confirmed the sighting of an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. A department surveillance flight first observed the whale on Oct. 21, 2026, in the Bradelle Bank region. The area is located between New Brunswick's Acadian Peninsula, Prince Edward Island and Quebec's Magdalen Islands. Officials did not notice the entanglement until scientists and other experts reviewed the flight footage this week. The department said it does not yet know the identity of the whale or the type of fishing gear involved.
What is the plan to help the whale?
If the whale is found again, a satellite tag will be attached to the gear to track its location. "Efforts will be made to attempt disentanglement," the department said in a news release, noting the operation depends on safe weather conditions at sea. The public is warned to keep their distance and not attempt a rescue themselves. "Responding to an entanglement is dangerous, and our partners need space and time to safely do their work," the release stated. People are instead asked to report any marine mammal sightings to the department through its online reporting system.
Why is this whale species at risk?
North Atlantic right whales are among the world's most endangered large whale species, with an estimated total population of only 384 animals. This number includes roughly 70 breeding females. The population has suffered years of decline primarily due to ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. Federal officials said earlier this year that the population appears to be stabilizing. The whales typically migrate into Canadian waters in the spring and return south by late fall.
What details about the gear are still unknown?
Officials have not determined what kind of gear has entangled the whale or where it originated. "We do not yet know the ID of the whale, the type of gear that it is entangled in or where the gear came from," the department's release said. Confirming such details usually requires physical examination of the removed equipment. "Identification of the gear type and its origin are typically only confirmed if the gear is removed from an animal and an analysis is completed, when possible," the release explained. The recent sighting was confirmed after the review of footage from the October surveillance flight.
With files from Global News and CBC News