Only about 380 North Atlantic right whales remain in the world, and fewer than 70 are reproductive females. Without urgent action, this critically endangered species faces extinction.

On December 3, 2025, a juvenile whale named Division was spotted entangled in fishing gear off the coast of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Lines were wrapped tightly around his mouth, blowhole, and tail, some of which may have been cutting into his body for months.

Division is now the 168th whale added to the Unusual Mortality Event declared in 2017 by NOAA Fisheries. These cases include whales that are dead, seriously injured, or in declining health. The overwhelming cause is human activity, especially gear entanglements and vessel strikes.

We are calling on NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to take immediate action:

• Ban the use of vertical-line lobster and crab trap gear in right whale calving and migration zones during peak season (November 15 to April 15)
• Expand time-area closures and enforce them with real-time monitoring
• Support local fisheries with funding to transition toward whale-safe alternatives

Right whales migrate and give birth in the warm waters off Georgia each winter. This is one of the most dangerous times for them, and the most important for their survival.

Fishing gear entanglement is slow, painful, and often fatal. It prevents whales from feeding, surfacing, and sometimes even breathing. Gear like vertical lines attached to traps or pots are the main threat. These must be restricted during the most sensitive months.

There is hope. The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium reports a slight population increase this year, with new calves already spotted. But without safer oceans, those gains will be lost.

Let us protect the whales before another one suffers like Division. We can save this species, but we must act now.

Please sign this petition to demand seasonal gear bans in key migration areas. Every whale matters.

Photo Credit: First Coast News