The international organization WWF expressed its deep concern following the discovery of a juvenile specimen of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) dead and completely entangled in fishing nets on Hornitos beach, Antofagasta Region.
The case once again highlights one of the greatest threats to cetaceans and underscores the need to strengthen the prevention, monitoring, and sanctioning of these incidents.
Request for investigation and sanctions
WWF urged the competent authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to:
-
Determine the causes of the animal’s death.
-
Identify potential responsibilities.
-
Apply the corresponding sanctions in case of violation of environmental and fishing regulations.
“Each whale that dies from preventable causes represents an irreparable loss to biodiversity (…). It is essential to clarify what happened and strengthen measures to identify the ownership and location of fishing gear.”
— Yacqueline Montecinos, Marine Biodiversity Coordinator of WWF Chile.
Entanglement: main threat to large whales
Interactions with fishing activities and the presence of drifting nets constitute the leading cause of death for large cetaceans worldwide, with an increase in records in Chile and the Eastern Pacific.
In the country, the humpback whale is classified as a vulnerable species, also facing other critical risks:
-
Collisions with vessels
-
Pollution and underwater noise
-
Effects of climate change
