Mariners alerted to watch for entangled humpback

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

KIHEI, Maui — Mariners are being asked to keep an eye out for an entangled humpback whale dragging an orange or red buoy.

A boater reported seeing the whale with an orange buoy Tuesday morning about a quarter mile off Kaumalapau on Lana'i. Officials believe it may be the same whale seen just before sunset Sunday off East Moloka'i dragging what was described as a red buoy.

The U.S. Coast Guard yesterday broadcasted a notice to mariners asking anyone with information on the whale to call the National Marine Fisheries Service at (888) 256-9840.

The newly created Hawaiian Islands Disentanglement Network team, a partnership of state and federal agencies, remained on standby, ready to mobilize for an on-the-water assessment and possible rescue if the whale is found.

"It's already been seen two or three times, and there are a lot of boats in the water. It might show up. We certainly hope so,'' said Jeff Walters, the state's co-manager of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

The young whale is described as being 30 to 35 feet long with a possible battered dorsal fin, officials said. At least 30 feet of rope attached to the animal was dragging the buoy.

There is a report that someone may have observed a whale with a buoy as early as Feb. 26, but the information could not be confirmed, said David Matilla, a disentanglement team member who is the science and rescue coordinator for the whale sanctuary.

Last week, the disentanglement team freed a young 35-foot humpback off Maui that had 100 feet of rope wrapped around its midsection. Matilla said that entanglement was life-threatening.