It is shaping up to be a contentious crabbing season in the Pacific Northwest.

Within the past two weeks, three humpback whales have been ensnared in commercial crab traps all along the Pacific coastline.

The latest humpback whale was rescued outside of Grays Harbour in Washington after a commercial crabber noticed the 40 foot whale tangled in the thick 300 pound ropes. The whale broke free after an extended effort by a team of human volunteers attempting to cut it loose.

The crab gear had enveloped the adolescent humpback whale, essentially rendering it immobilized. Volunteers from the Cascadia Research Center noted the equipment ensnaring the whale had signs of algae growth, indicating the whale had been trapped for a decent amount of time. If left unattended, the whale would have eventually asphyxiated and died.

Entanglement in fishing gear—“bycatch,” as it is known in the marine community—is a common problem for these whales, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which lists bycatch as one of several reasons why humpback whales are still on the Endangered Species List.

Two other humpback whales were rescued the week before from commercial crabbing gear in Monterey Bay, California.

Commercial crabbing season runs from November to June; the past April and May have been particularly bountiful for crabbers, so there are an increased amount of pots dotting the Pacific seaboard.

This has begun to prove treacherous for humpback whales, who have begun their yearly migration from the waters of Mexico north up the coastline a few weeks earlier than usual this year.

“Guys are making money and so they’re leaving their gear out,” said Steve Mills, commercial crabber told KSBW News. “There’s so many humpback whales, there’s so many traps, do the numbers.”

There are no legal requirements for crab pot placement, only a set limit of traps used by each boat, as regulated by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

However, if the trend of capturing humpback whales continues unfettered, environmental activists will begin to seek stricter crabbing regulations.