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An entangled North Atlantic right whale has been observed in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said in a news release Friday.<\/p>\n
The whale was seen in the Bradelle Bank region, which is between New Brunswick\u2019s Acadian Peninsula, Prince Edward Island and Quebec\u2019s Magdalen Islands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA DFO surveillance flight spotted the whale on October 21, 2026, but the entanglement was not observed until DFO scientists and other experts reviewed the footage this week,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n
If the whale is located again, and if weather conditions at sea allow, a satellite tag will be attached to the whale for tracking and \u201cefforts will be made to attempt disentanglement,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not yet know the ID of the whale, the type of gear that it is entangled in or where the gear came from,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdentification 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Members of the public are warned to keep a distance and to not try disentangling the whale themselves if it is located, the department said.<\/p>\n
\u201cResponding to an entanglement is dangerous, and our partners need space and time to safely do their work.\u201d<\/p>\n
People can report a marine mammal or sea turtle incident or sighting to the department online.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Right whales, one of the most endangered large whale species in the world, usually begin arriving in Canadian waters in April and May and head back south in October and November.<\/p>\n
There are an estimated 384 whales, including 70 breeding females. <\/p>\n