Fisheries officials say they're investigating the death of a humpback whale found off the coast of Keats Island in British Columbia's Howe Sound.
A statement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada says officials were working to better understand what happened to the whale and couldn't provide additional details about its death, confirmed on Saturday.
Multiple humpbacks have been struck by boats in the last two months in B.C. waters.
A whale watching tour company in Vancouver reported "minimal contact" with a humpback that appeared in its path in Howe Sound last week, with the Fisheries Department saying that whale was seen surfacing three times after the strike.
A young humpback was seen with deep gash on its back after a ferry strike in Vancouver's English Bay this month, while a humpback was found dead after a BC Ferries crew reported a strike in Wright Sound near Prince Rupert in September.
The latest Fisheries statement says the humpback population has been on the rise along B.C.'s coast and vessel strikes are one of the primary threats to the whales.
"As humpback whale numbers increase ... their overlap with human activities and vessel traffic is also increasing," it says, adding humpbacks can be "quite oblivious of boats" and difficult to spot during activities such as feeding or resting.
This report by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø was first published Oct. 27, 2025
