Young Whale Dies Entangled in Net
The body of a young, 20-foot Pacific gray whale was discovered entangled in a gill net about a quarter-mile off the Palos Verdes coast, the National Marine Fisheries Service said.
“We are attempting to determine the owner of the net,” said Charles Clark, a special agent for the fisheries service.
Since the Pacific gray whale is an endangered species, the owner of the net could face criminal or civil sanctions, Clark said.
Tom Lewis, vice president of the American Cetacean Society, said that judging from its size, the whale probably was 1 or 2 years old. Lewis said 27 whales have been observed entangled in nets in Southern California since January, 1985. The number that died is not known.
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