Fishing gear threatens Hawaii's already endangered false killer whales
Raw StoryA concerningly high number of endangered false killer whales are being injured when they get hooked by fishing gear in waters off the main Hawaiian islands, according to a new research paper released Thursday. That could include installing cameras to record encounters with the false killer whales, which feed on the same large fish those boats catch and often go after what is already on the hook, said Robin Baird, a research biologist with the nonprofit Cascadia Research Collective, which led the study. “Being able to come up with solutions requires information.” Cascadia, along with two Hawaii-based wildlife foundations and federal fisheries officials, analyzed photographs taken between 1999 and 2021 of three false killer whale populations found near or around the Hawaii archipelago, including the endangered group that inhabits the waters off the main islands. Baird on Wednesday recommended forming a new, similar hui that would include the nearshore fisherman to address the plight of the endangered false killer whales.
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