(January 14, 2009) -- LB resident Dale Brown (who publishes www.sinkthebreakwater.com) says he took the digital photo below on Monday Jan. 12 from aboard a whale-watching boat about six or seven miles off of LB's coast. It seems to indicate a whale with something tangled around its body, perhaps a lobster buoy or the like (with some mussels or barnacles).

Photo credit: Dale Brown (www.sinkthebreakwater.com)

Mr. Brown (and LBReport.com separately) contacted Peter Wallerstein, founder of Playa Del Rey-based Marine Animal Rescue (www.marspecialists.org). Mr. Wallerstein has conducted marine animal rescues in L.A. County for over 20 years (with special equipment and expertise...and with required federal permission, see below).

Mr. Wallerstein says the photograph does seem to show that the whale has something wrapped around it, perhaps a crab pot or the like. "If it's not impeding the whale, it's probably not an immediate threat to the whale's survival, but it's hard to tell." He said he plans to advise observers to the north and south to be on the lookout for the whale.

Mr. Wallerstein urged the public NOT to approach the animal and NOT to try to cut it free. "Among other things, it's dangerous and against federal law," he said.

The LB office of the National Marine Fisheries Service agreed with that advice...and NMFS Wildlife Biologist Joe Cordaro said the photo looks to him like a Fin Whale. "It looks like a large animal [not a small whale] and may be entangled somewhere near its dorsal fin."

What does that mean? "If something is wrapped around its tail, it can be life threatening because whales use their tails to move, so a tail entanglement can tire them out. Sometimes, they can shed the entanglement themselves...but if it's tight or encircling a flipper, they can lose the flipper." He added, "There may be some gear not visible beneath the water; it's hard to tell until getting on-scene."

So what should people do? "If they see the whale, call the Nat'l Marine Fisheries Service first at (562) 980-4017." And he reiterated: "DON'T approach it or try to cut it free. It's dangerous and against federal law."

What kind of information is helpful? "An estimate of the animal's length, what direction it's doing, how it's swimming."

What if people spot it after-hours? "There's not much we can do at night; we really have to wait for first light," Mr. Cordaro said.

What about sightings on the weekend? "We have an after-hours number for weekend days. Use the same number (562) 980-4017 and there's a referral."

NMFS Biologist Cordaro indicated that Marine Animal Rescue founder Wallerstein has federal permission to do the marine rescues (and Mr. Wallerstein's website indicates his group performed 296 marine rescues in 2008).

Mr. Wallerstein said that if people spot the entangled whale, he'd welcome a phone call at 1-800-39-WHALE and added "there's a live operator 24 hours a day."