The humpback whale that was tangled up in a gill net near Petersburg earlier this week has made its way to Juneau waters. A National Marine Fisheries Service spokeswoman said a disentanglement team was out Wednesday observing the whale. On Friday, the three-person team was out trying to cut it free.
The whale has a buoy attached to it for spotting, as well as a tracker. It was in Stephens Passage on Thursday. Fisheries spokeswoman Julie Speegle did not want to disclose its specific location, for fear of people chasing it.
But with the Labor Day weekend, sightings are especially likely. Officials were asking boaters not to intervene and to stay clear of the whale, both for its well-being and their own.
Jeremy Hsieh is the deputy managing editor of the KTOO newsroom in Juneau. He’s a podcast fiend who’s worked in journalism since high school as a reporter, editor and television producer. He ran Gavel Alaska for 360 North from 2011 to 2016, and is big on experimenting with novel tools and mediums (including the occasional animated gif) to tell stories and demystify the news. Jeremy’s an East Coast transplant who moved to Juneau in 2008.
