Gray whale gets tangled in Muckleshoot fishing net, swims free with gear attached

A gray whale got tangled in a Muckleshoot Tribe's fishing net early this morning in Elliott Bay near the Edgewater Hotel.

The whale has since freed itself, said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the Northwest regional branch of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Those on the tribe's boat originally thought the whale was dead and were trying to cut it from the net, when it sprang to life, said Gorman. They sped up their attempts to free the whale, and it eventually swam off with some fishing gear still attached.

The gear could pose a problem for the whale, depending if it managed to free itself from it or not, he said.

"The whale has skedaddled," said Gorman. "We don't know where it is, nor do we know if it is in danger."

The 13th Coast Guard District got a call at about 3:30 a.m. to report that the whale, which is at least 20 feet long, was stuck in the net, said Gorman.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Shawn Eggert said he was aware of the situation, but that it did not fall on the Coast Guard's duties, although they were standing by to help if a boat was needed.

Gorman said it is very unusual for whales to get trapped in fishing nets in this area, due to the deep waters and limited opportunities.

There are about 20,000 gray whales on the West Coast, he said.

Christina Siderius: csiderius@seattletimes.com