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Endangered North Atlantic right whale spotted entangled in Gulf of St. Lawrence

HALIFAX — The federal Fisheries Department says an endangered North Atlantic right whale has become entangled in gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
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A North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass., on March 28, 2018. The federal Fisheries Department says it is aware of an endangered North Atlantic right whale that has become entangled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

HALIFAX — The federal Fisheries Department says an endangered North Atlantic right whale has become entangled in gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The department says the whale was sighted Wednesday by a Transport Canada aerial surveillance team northeast of the Gaspé Peninsula, off Anticosti Island.

Officials say it’s not known what type of gear has entangled the whale or where the gear came from.

Based on observation, experts at the New England Aquarium have confirmed the whale is a female known as Chiminea.

The department says it is continuing to monitor the area and if the whale is located and conditions allow, efforts will be made to disentangle the animal.

Last October, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium estimated there were 356 North Atlantic right whales left on the planet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press