When a whale entanglement response team removes gear from a whale, that isn't the end of the story. NOAA conducts a comprehensive investigation to determine what type of fishing gear was involved (and the specific industry and/or fisherman who owned it, if possible). This is not to place blame; it’s to identify what can be done to reduce future entanglements.

These post-incident investigations have identified Dungeness Crab gear as responsible for almost half of the confirmed entanglements on the West Coast (NOAA). Over the past several years, a new type of crab fishing gear has been tested with promising results. This “Pop Up” gear addresses the issue of vertical lines in the water that ensnare whales as they swim past. The concept is simple: incorporate the buoy and lines into a sled that are later released by an electronic signal from the fishermen when they are ready to retrieve the traps. This reduces the time vertical lines are in the water from days to minutes.

This gear has been tested on the East Coast since 2022 with promising results. Recent approval for use has been granted in certain regions on the West Coast, so we are excited to see whether this new gear has an effect on the number of entanglements.

NOTE: There are several different concepts of “Pop-Up”, “On-Demand”, or “Ropeless” gear on the market. The example shown is only one of the available pieces of equipment.  EWROC does not recommend or endorse one company or system over another. We are simply educating the public about this new technology.

INNOVATIVE EQUIPMENT TO REDUCE ENTANGLEMENTS

Learn more about this potentially new life-saving and innovative gear:

This was taken from a presentation supporting the reason why pop-up gear would be a beneficial tool for the Dungeness Crab fishermen. It highlights the number of traps that were deployed and how much more money the fishermen made using these systems. Wendy Leeds' iconic photo of “Freedom” entangled in Dungeness Crab gear was used for the presentation. (From Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife workshop – 8/27/25)

This diagram shows a potential setup using on-demand gear and a traditional buoy as a backup (which is not required). Currently, each trap would be attached to its own vertical line and buoy. In this scenario, the traps are attached to each other via a groundline, which is then attached to an on-demand system. A fisherman could string 10-15 traps together in this manner, which would dramatically decrease the number of vertical lines in the water.

This graphic from the presentation uses the term “Whale Safe Crab” when documenting the success of the 2025 trials. As in the previous year, experimental use permits were granted to a limited number of fishermen, which allowed them to fish in areas that were closed to traditional gear, as well as past the normal closing of the season. The information and commentary documented show a positive response to the innovative gear. These reports helped NOAA approve the use of on-demand gear in 2026 for broader use. (From Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife workshop – 8/27/25)

Additional resources