Stress+Hormones+Soar+in+Whales+Trapped+by+Fishing+Lines

Stress Hormones Soar in Whales Trapped by Fishing Lines
[|The New York Times] December 4, 2017 A North Atlantic right whale known as Bayla died after becoming entangled in fishing lines. The young female’s stress hormone levels skyrocketed, a new study shows. Credit Georgia Department of Natural Resources/NOAA []

Summary
A new study has shown that whales that have been caught in fishing nets have high-levels of stress. Over the span of 15 years, researchers have collected the feces of over 100 whales and have been able to determine what is considered the normal stress level for whales. They then compared the feces of whales that had been entangled in fishing nets, finding that those whales had extremely high stress levels. Hormone levels take several hours to rise after a stressful event, so the tests done on whales that were hit by ships and died immediately showed stress levels similar to those of healthy whales. The North Atlantic Whales' population now hovers around 450 and about 16 have died since the start of summer for various reasons. Studies done by scientists provide them with an objective way to test what is causing stress among whales and whether efforts to improve their habitat is working.

Relation to Course
In our course, we have learned that trawlers, a type of fishing boat, catch fish by dragging a funnel-shaped net held open at the neck along the ocean bottom. The net allows most small fish to escape but can capture and kill larger species (Miller 696). This article tells us that whales' stress levels rise when captured in fishing nets and some of these fishing nets may have been trawlers.

Opinion
After reading this article, I feel that it is important for fishing companies to be careful when fishing because they are disrupting the habitat for whales and other marine animals. They should try to limit their contact with animals they are not fishing in order to reduce the amount of damage done. This article informs us that disruptions to whales can cause elevated stress levels, which are harmful in most cases. Therefore, it is our duty to try and limit the amount of damage we are doing to other organisms and their habitats.

Law
This article relates to the Whale Conservation and Protection Study Act of 1976, which directs the Secretary of Commerce to undertake comprehensive studies of all whales found in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. This act allows research to be done on whales, which can be a reason why we now know that whales that have been caught in fishing nets have high levels of stress.