Entangled right whale spotted in Gulf of St. Lawrence - CBC

A file photo of an entangled North Atlantic right whale. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA Fisheries Permit #26919)Social SharingAn entangled North Atlantic right whale has been observed in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said in a news release Friday.

The whale was seen in the Bradelle Bank region, which is between New Brunswick’s Acadian Peninsula, Prince Edward Island and Quebec’s Magdalen Islands. 

“A DFO surveillance flight spotted the whale on October 21, 2026, but the entanglement was not observed until DFO scientists and other experts reviewed the footage this week,” the release said.

If the whale is located again, and if weather conditions at sea allow, a satellite tag will be attached to the whale for tracking and “efforts will be made to attempt disentanglement,” the release said.

“We do not yet know the ID of the whale, the type of gear that it is entangled in or where the gear came from,” the release said.

“Identification of the gear type and its origin are typically only confirmed if the gear is removed from an animal and an analysis is completed, when possible.”

Members of the public are warned to keep a distance and to not try disentangling the whale themselves if it is located, the department said.

“Responding to an entanglement is dangerous, and our partners need space and time to safely do their work.”

People can report a marine mammal or sea turtle incident or sighting to the department online. 

Right whales, one of the most endangered large whale species in the world, usually begin arriving in Canadian waters in April and May and head back south in October and November.

There are an estimated 384 whales, including 70 breeding females.

After years of decline, marked by ship strikes and entanglements with fishing gear, the population appears to be stabilizing, Fisheries and Oceans said earlier this year.

Sam Farley is a Fredericton-based reporter at CBC New Brunswick. Originally from Boston, he is a journalism graduate of the University of King's College in Halifax. He can be reached at sam.farley@cbc.ca