By Canadian Press

Necropsy indicates Canadian fishing gear likely killed right whale

Nov 3, 2019 | 11:11 AM

HALIFAX — A necropsy indicates a North Atlantic right whale found off the U.S. in September died after being entangled in Canadian fishing gear.

The whale was last seen entangled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Aug. 6 off the Magdalen Islands.

Its badly decomposed carcass was discovered off Long Island, N.Y., six weeks later.

The necropsy was done by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society a few days after the whale was found.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there were no signs the whale had collided with a vessel or of disease.

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No gear was found on its body but scientists found marks matching what had been observed when the whale was seen entangled.

Eight right whales out of an endangered population of about 400 are known to have died in Canadian waters this year.

Twenty-nine right whales have died in North American waters since 2017.

The Canadian Press first published this story on Nov. 3, 2019.

The Canadian Press