Dead whale with tail severed is spotted in Howe Sound near BC Ferries collision site
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
VANCOUVER – A federal department has confirmed a dead humpback whale was spotted floating in Howe Sound, B.C., about a week after a BC Ferries vessel collided with a whale in the same region.
The Fisheries Department said in a statement that two whales were seen near the ferry on Oct. 18 as it sailed between Grace Point and Keats Island in Howe Sound, and one of the whales was struck after it surfaced in front of the vessel.
The department said it then received a report and photographs of a dead whale near Grace Point on Monday, but has not yet confirmed if it is the same whale.
Tasli Shaw, co-founder of Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea, said she also received photos of the dead whale from a local resident.
She said researchers traditionally use tail flukes or dorsal fins to identify a whale, but in this case, “quite tragically, the animal’s tail fluke was missing.”
She said its dorsal fin was also not visible in the photo, but she was able to identify the humpback as Notcho, also known as BCX1700, due to its right pectoral flipper.
Notcho’s age is unknown, but Shaw said the whale had been spending summers in the Salish Sea since 2017 to hunt for food.
“I’ve personally observed him on many occasions with other male humpbacks in competitive-type behaviour and following females around,” said Shaw.
“When I first heard the news, my heart sank, stomach dropped, dread overcame me because this is going to be an animal that I know personally, so it can not hit close to home.”
The Fisheries Department said it is working to locate the dead whale.
The department said it’s “engaging with the Squamish Nation regarding the response and any social, cultural or ceremonial interests related to the deceased whale.”
It said staff are also working to identify the animal and “arrangements are being made to conduct a necropsy, if feasible, to help determine the cause of death and gather additional information.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2026.