– This is shocking and sad that the dead whale ended up on the shore, says whale researcher Heike Vester. It was on 30 July that a whale became entangled in fishing gear in the Nappstraumen in Lofoten. It was an adult humpback whale of up to 19 metres, and with an estimated body weight of between 25-30 tonnes. Neither the police, the fire service nor the Coastal Administration could help the whale, and the Directorate of Fisheries was contacted. Didn’t get help The Directorate of Fisheries first said they needed time to answer the request. Finally, they sent an email saying they would try to help the whale the next day. – Carrying out these operations entails a great risk for personnel, and we always put the safety of the personnel first, then animal welfare, said Rolf Harald Jensen, head of the Maritime Service. In collaboration with the Coast Guard vessel “KV Jarl” and personnel from “KV Heimdal”, the operation to free the whale began on Wednesday. The whale had become entangled in fishing equipment, which meant that it could not move properly. Here it is released. Photo: The coast guard The whale was released on Wednesday afternoon. Afterwards, it was kept under observation to see if it would make it. In this connection, it was observed that the whale had little mobility. A vet was contacted, and assessed the situation through photos and video, and concluded that the suffering and injuries were of such an extent that it was unlikely that it would survive. After the release, the whale was in such bad condition that it was decided to euthanize it. It was therefore decided to euthanize, which was carried out at 22.50 on 31 July. The whale suffered injuries after being caught fishing for a day. Photo: Christian Engelke Observed on the shore The dead humpback whale was then towed out to sea. But apparently not far enough. Christian Engelke was on a trip with his partner and their three children in Unstad in Lofoten and went to see the whale after reading about it in the Lofotposten. – I work as a whale safari guide, I am very interested in whales and think it was a tragedy that the whale had to end its life in this way. – We want to raise our children with respect for wildlife and it was both sad and fascinating to look at this completely intact humpback whale. In fact, one eye was also intact, he says. Here the whale has just been released on Wednesday last week. Photo: Coast Guard Researcher: – Sad and disrespectful Heike Vester, biologist and whale researcher at Ocean Sounds is very surprised when she hears that the whale floated ashore on a beach in Unstad, which is a well-known surfing paradise in Lofoten. – If you kill a whale, it must be transported far out to sea and sunk. It does not seem to me that this action was carried out in a professional manner. This is sad and disrespectful to the animal, says Vester. And adds: – This case shows how dangerous fishing nets in particular are for wildlife. We need to handle this in a better way. Whale researcher Heike Vester is not particularly impressed with how the Directorate of Fisheries and the Coast Guard have handled the action in Nappstraumen. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news – We do not control sea currents and wind Rolf Harald Jensen, who heads the Maritime Service in the Directorate of Fisheries, is aware that the whale ended up on the shore at Unstad. – We are on the case, and are in dialogue with both the Coast Guard and Vestvågøy municipality. – Sea currents and wind are not controlled by us, says Rolf Harald Jensen, head of the Maritime Service in the Directorate of Fisheries. Photo: Directorate of Fisheries Now the whale carcass is to be towed out to sea again. But when it will be is highly uncertain. – It will be when the Coast Guard has capacity, time and vessels in the area. The goal is to remove it before it starts to disintegrate. Having said that, it poses no immediate danger where it is. – Has the Coast Guard dragged the whale out far enough? – Ocean currents and wind and drift are not controlled by us. Our Lord does, that’s how it is. And so the dead whale has unfortunately drifted ashore again. Published 05/08/2024, at 20.48
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The Directorate of Fisheries euthanized the whale and towed it to sea – news Nordland
