WEBVTT FELIX: NOAA RESEARCHERS ISSUED A STATEMENT TODAY, SAYING THAT VIDEO IS A VERY DANGEROUS EXAMPLE. TRAINED RESCUERS, THEY SAY HAVE BEEN KILLED ATTEMPTING SIMILAR RESCUES. THE DARING HIGH SEAS WHALE RESCUE CAUGHT ON CELL PHONE OFF MORO BAY, THAT’S WHERE A PAIR OF EEL FISHERMAN CAME ACROSS A HUMPBACK WHALE ENTANGLED IN ROPE AND A BUOY. >> HE WAS SWIMMING IN TIGHT CIRCLES. YOU COULD TELL HE WAS STRESSED. FELIX: THE MEN CALLED THE COASTGUARD AND WERE TOLD THERE’S NOTHING MORE THE FISHERMAN COULD DO. INSTEAD THEY TOOK MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS, ONE OF THE FISHERMAN JUMPED ON THE WHALE’S BACK AND CUT THE ROPE. >> DID YOU GET IT? YEAH. FELIX: GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT POOR DECISION, NOAA RESEARCHERS SAYING THEIR ACTIONS COULD ENCOURAGE COPYCATS. LET ALONE IT COULD’VE COST THEM THEIR LIVES. RESEARCHERS SAY THE FISHERMAN INSTEAD SHOULD’VE TAKEN PICTURES AND VIDEO OF THE DISTRESSED WHALE. >> IN THIS CASE, WE MISSED THE MOST IN PART OF THIS. THE DOCUMENTATION. WE KNOW HARDLY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WAS ON THE WHALE, THE NATURE OF THE ENTANGLEMENT. WE DON’T KNOW IF ALL THE GEAR WAS REMOVED FROM THE ANIMAL. FELIX: DOZENS OF WHALES GET ENTANGLED EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 30 SO FAR THIS YEAR, 31 LAST YEAR, 71 IN 2016. MOST OF THE ENTANGLEMENST THE RESULT OF CRAB TRAPS ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS, LAWMAKERS TAKING NOTE. THIS YEAR THEY APPROVED LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES STANDARD MARKINGS ON FISHING GEAR TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF ANY GEAR TANGLED ON A WHALE, AND EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SURFACE GEAR THAT FISHERMEN USE, LIKE LOUISE. >> IT’S UNCERTAIN WHAT THE TOTAL BENEFIT WILL BE. WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE A BENEFIT THAT IS A STEP TOWARDS TRYING TO REDUCE INTAKE OMENS. -- IN TANGLED MINUTES. -- ENTANGLEMENTS. FELIX: A COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS THAT WHALES WILL DIE WITHIN HOURS OF BECOMING TANGLED. RESCUERS MAY HAVE WEEKS OR MONTHS TO RESCUE A DISTRESSED WHALE. DAN: THANK YOU. IF YOU COME ACROSS AN ENTANGLED WHALE, CALLED THE U.S. COAST GUARD AND THE WHALE INTAKE OMIT HOTLINE.