T 



I hp rapid response to Dallas 

 Rose's March 24 report was heralded up 

 and down the coast. By all accounts, the 

 state's new whale network passed its 

 first test with flying colors. 



"It reflects on Bill Foster's wisdom 

 that he got the equipment here. He got 

 the disentanglement network started," 

 says rescue team member Read. 



Coast Guard officials agree. "It's 

 handy to have that equipment on the 

 Outer Banks," says Petty Officer A.C. 

 Bennett of the Coast Guard headquarters 

 in Norfolk. "I was impressed at how 

 quickly it came together." 



Bennett sees a synergy of equip- 



Virginia Beach and the northern Outer 

 Banks. Foster likens the young whales to 

 teenagers, who sometimes get into 

 trouble. 



"We had one die that was entangled 

 off Hatteras last year," Foster says. "We 

 did not have the equipment and people in 

 place." 



The difference this year is like night 

 and day, he says. "We were fortunate 

 that Andrew Westgate had some 

 experience in this before," Foster says. 

 "We are a bit surprised that it worked the 

 first time — but we're happy." 



The goal of the $40,000 fishery 

 grant he received in 1998 is to "promote 



SEA 



SCIENCE 



And the new whale network is a 

 prime example of the grant program in 

 action, says Steve Olson, associate 

 director of North Carolina Sea Grant. 

 Sea Grant administers the program, 

 which is funded by the North Carolina 

 General Assembly. 



"The program is designed to fund 

 research and find solutions to problems 

 identified by those who make their 

 living on the water," Olson says. "The 

 instincts and intuition of those involved 

 in the fishing industry are crucial factors 

 in resolving a variety of coastal issues." 



The Fishery Resource Grant 

 Program was established in 1994 by the 



The rescue team prepares the hooks, knives 

 and transmitter buoys. 



ment and training within the network. 

 "We are trained at saving lives at sea — 

 but we are not used to a patient quite 

 this size," he adds. 



In this case, the team did not need 

 all the available equipment, including an 

 inflatable boat with an outboard. But 

 more complicated rescues could come up. 



Juvenile whales are known to 

 winter in the mid-Atlantic, usually near 



a partnership between fishermen and the 

 various agencies involved to provide 

 stewardship for this special resource." 



To draw attention to the network, 

 Foster and Mattila had a booth at the 

 N.C. Commercial Fishing Show in 

 Morehead City. Taking initiative to solve 

 a problem, then sharing the information 

 with others along the coast is a goal of 

 the Fishery Resource Grant Program. 



A smaller boat lets the team 

 get close to the whale. 



North Carolina General Assembly. Each 

 year, nearly $1 million are available to 

 those actively involved in the fishing 

 industries to study issues and determine 

 creative solutions to problems in four 

 major categories: fishery equipment and 

 gear, environmental pilot projects, 

 aquaculture and seafood technology. 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 27 



