title: Predicting lethal entanglements as a consequence of drag from fishing gear.
abstract: Large whales are frequently entangled in fishing gear and sometimes swim while carrying gear for days to years. Entangled whales are subject to additional drag forces requiring increased thrust power and energy expenditure over time. To classify entanglement cases and aid potential disentanglement efforts, it is useful to know how long an entangled whale might survive, given the unique configurations of the gear they are towing. This study establishes an approach to predict drag forces on fishing gear that entangles whales, and applies this method to ten North Atlantic right whale cases to estimate the resulting increase in energy expenditure and the critical entanglement duration that could lead to death. Estimated gear drag ranged 11-275N. Most entanglements were resolved before critical entanglement durations (mean±SD 216±260days) were reached. These estimates can assist real-time development of disentanglement action plans and U.S. Federal Serious Injury assessments required for protected species.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography and Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA. Electronic address: jvanderhoop@whoi.edu.
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van der Hoop
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corkeron
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Allison G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.affiliation: New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA.
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Knowlton
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005398:Fisheries; D013550:Swimming; D014866:Waste Products; D014907:Whales / Q000293:injuries*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality* / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D014866:Waste Products
keywords: Body condition; Drag; Entanglement duration; Large whale(s); Right whale; Serious injury