An unusual number of whales in the west coast are getting caught in crab fishing gear. At least 30 whales were entangled in fishing lines in 2014 and twice as much the year before.

As reported on Tuesday, most of the whales that are getting caught in crab fishing gear are humpbacks and gray whales.  So far in 2015, the number of whales entangled has been 25.

Last year, out of the 30 whales that were entangled in fishing lines, seven died. Out of the remaining whales that were untangled, only seven are accounted.

Crabbers have welcomed any collaborative efforts to stop or reduce whales from getting entangled in fishing lines. However, many of these fishing companies claim that environmentalists are only trying to stop the removal of the humpback whales from the endangered list by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

A research biologist from UC Davis, Jennifer Renzullo, said that these west coast whales have been spending more time in bays around the west coast. Unfortunately, crab season is happening and crabbers are out fishing.  So more fishing involved with whales that are inexplicably hanging out longer, causes more incidents with whales getting entangled.

Over the last four decades, protection efforts sprouted the humpback whale population back to normal. The NOAA announced on February that some of these whale populations no longer warrant listing.

An attorney with Center for Biological Diversity, Catherine Kilduff, still thinks that west coast whales need protection. These whales still face many dangers out in the west coast, and, if nothing is done, the problem will only escalate.