Victoria whale watching company helps rescue tangled humpback calf
A calf and its mother, known as Tempest, were spotted Aug. 6 with fishing gear entangled around the young whale. The DFO's Marine Mammal Rescue team freed the calf after a multi-agency effort.
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A tangled humpback calf spotted near the south coast of Vancouver Island on August 6 is now swimming free, thanks to a coordinated rescue involving a Victoria whale watching company, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and conservation groups.
Eagle Wing Tours captain Lili first spotted the calf entangled in fishing gear while travelling with its mother, known as Tempest. After reporting the sighting to the DFO, the Eagle Wing vessel and its 12 guests stayed on scene, monitoring the whales at a distance for almost two hours. "It's critical in entanglement situations that a boat stay near the entangled whale so that the rescue team doesn't waste valuable time trying to relocate them," Eagle Wing posted on social media.
The captain honked the horn in frustration as several private boaters drove at speed over or near the whales. "At times honking her horn in frustration," Eagle Wing noted.
Working with Cetus Research & Conservation Society and NOAA Fisheries West Coast, the DFO's Marine Mammal Rescue team tracked the whales as they swam between Canadian and U.S. waters into the evening before successfully removing the gear.
"Our guests were super helpful," captain Lili said. "They understood we had to stay for the health of the calf and were very supportive. It was a total group effort."
Eagle Wing Tours was among many Greater Victoria whale watching companies that earlier helped locate another tangled humpback, known as Pop Tart, in early July. Pop Tart was successfully freed after a week-long entanglement.
According to the Pacific Whale Watch Association, entanglement in fishing gear is one of the greatest threats to humpback whales globally and in the Salish Sea. Just before spotting Tempest's calf, captain Lili pulled a clump of derelict fishing gear from the water.
The DFO asks anyone spotting a marine mammal with buoys or lines wrapped around it to report it immediately without attempting removal. Contact the DFO at www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/mammals-mammiferes/report-rapport.
By the numbers
When was the tangled humpback calf spotted?
The calf was spotted on August 6, 2026, near the south coast of Vancouver Island with fishing gear entangled around it.
How long did Eagle Wing Tours monitor the whales?
The Eagle Wing vessel and its 12 guests monitored the whales at a distance for almost two hours after the calf was spotted.
Which organizations worked together on the rescue?
The DFO's Marine Mammal Rescue team, Cetus Research & Conservation Society, and NOAA Fisheries West Coast coordinated to free the calf.
