Overview
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirmed a dead humpback washed ashore on Keats Island and has opened an investigation into the cause.
- Prince of Whales says the carcass is believed to be BCY1464, known as Wisp, and could be the same animal their vessel contacted on Oct. 23.
- The tour boat executed an emergency stop when a humpback surfaced in its path in Howe Sound, and B.C. Emergency Health Services transported four passengers to hospital with minor injuries.
- The department has asked enforcement officers and the Pacific Whale Watch Association to monitor the area for potentially injured whales as the investigation proceeds.
- Scientists and conservation groups report a recent rise in strikes and entanglements, urging slower speeds and vigilant scanning in known hot spots, with DFO estimating about 416 humpbacks use the region in fall.