Mariners' Calls Freed Entangled Humpback Near Juneau

A juvenile humpback whale was freed from crab pot lines in Endicott Arm after several mariners spotted the animal on the evening of May 10, 2026, and called the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network's 24-hour hotline. Those reports allowed regional coordinators to develop a response plan, NOAA Fisheries said in a June 24, 2026, announcement.

The whale was caught near the narrow opening to Endicott Arm, a glacial fjord roughly 50 miles south of Juneau in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness. Vessel crews in the area coordinated real-time position updates with each other and relayed them to NOAA responders, allowing the team to relocate the whale and plan a safe approach. A NOAA Fisheries response team then used poles fitted with specialized knives to cut the lines, working under NOAA Fisheries Permit 24359. The response team photo was credited to Alaska Department of Fish and Game/Jamie Musbach.

"We formed a network of eyes on the water — vessel crews coordinating real-time updates between one another and relaying them to us," said Dr. Suzie Teerlink, a NOAA Fisheries marine mammal specialist and authorized large whale entanglement advanced responder. "That communication was critical. It gave us insight into the nature of the entanglement, helped us build a safe response plan, and gave us confidence that we could relocate the whale."

Endicott Arm draws steady vessel traffic: cruise ships, charter boats, commercial fishing vessels, and private yachts all transit the fjord. In Alaska's vast marine environment, timely public reporting often makes the difference in a successful response, NOAA Fisheries said.

How to Report an Entangled Whale

The Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network operates a statewide 24-hour hotline at 1-877-925-7773 for reporting injured, stranded, or entangled whales, porpoises, seals, and sea lions, according to NOAA Fisheries and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The network includes federal, state, tribal, academic, and industry partners and is overseen by NOAA Fisheries' Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. The Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward also runs a 24-hour stranding hotline at 1-888-774-7325 and participates in the network. For sea otters, walrus, and polar bears, reports should go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Mammals Management Office at 1-800-362-5148 or the Alaska SeaLife Center.

Observers are asked to provide the date and time, geographic location, number of animals, species, and condition, and to photograph the animal from a safe distance without approaching or attempting to intervene. Alaska's stranding responders advise against pushing stranded animals back into the water or attempting to feed them.

Questions about this incident can be directed to Jennifer Angelo, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region public affairs officer, at [email protected].