At least nine orcas have died after getting trap in commercial fishing equipment off the coast of Alaska in 2023 so far . This figure is already significantly higher than many late years coalesce , raising speculation that the gain in fatality could be the result of a “ new conduct ” within the species .
NOAA piscary released astatementexplaining that they ’ve receive 10 separate reports on orcas becoming trapped in sportfishing boat around Aleutian Island and the Bering Sea this class . One of those individual managed to turn tail alive , but the remaining nine died .
It isestimatedthat there are around 50,000 cause of death whale globally , around 2,500 of which dwell in the easterly North Pacific Ocean around this part of Alaska .
incident like this have take place in the past , but they are rare . A previousNOAA reportfound that just five orcas had expire in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fisheries of Alaska as a result of bycatch between 2016 and 2020 .
These statistic have been affirmed by anecdotal reports among fishermen who say that encounters with orcas are becoming progressively more vulgar in Alaskan weewee .
A number of vessel involved in the recent encounters have been associated with the Groundfish Forum , a Seattle - based piscary trade association . Some of their sailor have reported orcas come on their ships more often and using it as an opportunity to hound fish . This , they take , seems to be part of a new behavior .
“ Our fishermen believe that the killer whales are draw in to fishing gear because fishing activities combine fish and allow killer whales to feed on the catch . In 2023 , our captains have cover an addition in the identification number of cause of death whales present near our vessels , where they seem to be feed in front of the internet while fishing , ” Groundfish Forum state in a statement give way toAnchorage Daily News .
“ This new conduct has not been antecedently documented and marine mammal scientists are not sure why this change has occurred , ” it added .
Others have suggest that the mount issue of sea wolf fatalities could be the resolution of a new initiative to lose weight holibut bycatch by sorting the nets on deck and recall halibut to the sea . However , Groundfish Forum denied this was a factor , enjoin : “ These asseveration are not true because our vessels do not conduct deck of cards sorting when killer whales are present . ”
This is n’t the only potential new behavior seen among orcas . On the other side of the world along the south slide of Spain , there have been legion reports of orcas deliberately smashing into the bottoms of vessels and sharply following them back to port . In May 2023 alone , at least 18 incidents like thiswere report .
Once again , nautical mammal expert have been stomp as to where this behavior emerged from , although some sailors suspect that commercial fishing might be a component .
“ I am not a scientist , but orcas have a migration pattern and there are huge tuna fishing connection at Barbate , I do wonder whether they associate vas with fishing and taking their tuna , ” Panama April Boyes indite in ablog post .
