There are currently three entangled North Atlantic Right whales in waters of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, according to a new update from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
One entangled whale was sighted last weekend near Miscou. It was spotted again on July 2, still entangled.
The animal has rope around its tail, and appears to be dragging something heavy.
On Thursday, two other entangled Right whales were spotted: one near the Gaspé peninsula and the other east of Miscou.
The whale near Miscou is believed to have been previously entangled. Initial reports indicate that this may be an animal that was first sighted entangled in April 2019, in US waters, explained DFO in a release.
All the whales are being monitored by air and by sea as the DFO considers options for both tracking and disentanglement.
The DFO says attempts at disentanglement will only be considered if they can be done in a safe manner.
Right whales are among the most difficult marine mammals to disentangle due to their size, strength and behavior. Weather and sea conditions will also have to be considered.
