Abstract

The Stranding and Distressed Marine Mammals Network of Guadeloupe FWI reports two cases of sperm whale entan-glements. The first one in 2013 involved a dead calf entangled by its tail fluke peduncle in a mass of ropes, nets and plastic cans that a mature female had taken by the opposite end in her lower jaw. The rescue team, trained just days before in a joint IWC and SPAW workshop, was able to free the female by breaking up the calf’s body. It was impossible to determine the cause of the entanglement, but it was assumed to be a local Fishing Aggregating Device (FAD). The composition of the mass of ropes and nets was suggestive of material commonly used in the manufacture of artisanal FADs. Sperm whales, especially young ones, are observed occasionally interacting with these devices. Subsequently in 2015, an entanglement in a FAD was positively identified with the case of a badly entangled juvenile female. The rescue team, assisted by several agen-cies from Guadeloupe, was able to rescue the animal after a complicated intervention. The team also had to deal with the fisherman and made sure to save the FAD device, which is the main type of fishing used in the region. Estimates show that there are 250 up to 1000 or more FADs in Guadeloupe waters. About 200 sperm whales are coming and going in family groups in these same waters. These crucial events, compounded by growing cases of entanglements of other cetaceans re-ported in Guadeloupe waters, have to urge the Caribbean communities to develop mitigation actions such as preventing rope and net lost or discarded at sea and specifically devising entanglement-proof devices.

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