2023 West Coast Whale Entanglement Summary
May 03, 2024
Each year, NOAA Fisheries' West Coast Region collects, verifies, documents, and responds to reports of large whale entanglements along the U.S. West Coast.
NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region has released its 2023 West Coast Whale Entanglement Summary, which provides an annual summary of whale entanglements known to have occurred along the West Coast. In 2023, there were 27 whales entangled off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, or off the coast of other countries but entangled in U.S. commercial fishing gear. This level of entanglement continues to be higher than what occurred prior to 2014, but also continues a pattern of fewer reported entanglements compared to the high point of more than 50 in 2016. The 2023 Summary also includes an interactive map and highlights related to response training, specific entanglement cases, and significant management actions that occurred.