An Overlooked Threat:
By-catch in Norwegian Waters

        On a cold November day in 2016, a young male killer whale we call Melvin (NKW-165) was swimming with his family in the waters of Skjervøy. It was an ordinary day for Norway’s herring-feeding killer whales. Like many others, Melvin had learned that fishing vessels could offer an easy meal. Following the herring fisheries is something these intelligent whales do regularly to save energy and feed efficiently. That day, however, curiosity turned into danger.

 

As a fishing vessel set its purse seine around a school of herring, Melvin found himself inside the net. This situation is not unusual, but killer whales often manage to locate an opening and escape. But this time, Melvin didn’t find his way out. As the net was slowly hauled in, he became increasingly trapped, eventually immobilized alongside the vessel, surrounded by tightly packed fish. For more than an hour, Melvin struggled to escape while his family remained nearby, waiting. From our observation platform, we alerted the authorities. After intense pressure and difficult decisions, an order was finally given to release the whale, even though it meant losing part of the catch. The net was opened, and after a tense moment, Melvin rolled free and swam back to his family.

 

Melvin survived. Many others have not. This was the first time we realized that by-catch is a real and serious threat to killer whales in Norway. Since then, we have documented several similar incidents; some with tragic outcomes. Each case is a reminder that even in a country known for healthy oceans, human activities can place these animals at risk.

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Melvin’s story ended well. But it highlights how fragile that balance is - and why continued monitoring, research, and protection are essential to ensure that killer whales can safely share Norwegian waters with us.