Countywide : No Trapped Whale nor Gill Net Found

No trace has been found of the gray whale feared drowned after it became trapped in a gill net one week ago, making it unlikely that an investigation will end in legal action against any commercial fishermen, according to officials.

The cause of the incident, which was seen by a group of Ventura schoolchildren on a field trip off Santa Barbara last Tuesday, may never be determined, said Joe Cordaro, a wildlife biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Unless the carcass washes ashore, identification of the type of net used will be impossible, Cordaro said.

At least 10 whales die from drowning in gill nets off the California coast every year.

Only one of those has been traced back to the fisherman in the last three years, Cordaro said.

“Last year, five dead gray whales entangled in gill nets were reported in the Ventura-Santa Barbara coastal area. That was a high number; normally it’s only three per year,” Cordaro said.

Although the catch may have been accidental, it could still be technically illegal, said Al Petrovich, head of marine resources for the Fish and Game Department.

“If you don’t have a piece of the net, it’s next to impossible to trace,” he said.

Under a 1987 state law, most gill nets must include breakable panels when used in water 25 fathoms or shallower during whale migration season Dec. 15 to May 15. Violators are subject to fines.