Rescuing Whales

Join us for a talk on whales and whale rescue. The Campobello Whale Rescue Team (CWRT), of which Capt. Mackie Greene is the director, consists of fishers, biologists and other specialists. It was formed in 2002 by a group of volunteer fishermen. Today it employs a crew whose members are highly trained and skilled in the use of specialized equipment to disentangle large whales from fishing gear.

Whale entanglement and entrapment in fishing gear is a global problem. Entanglements can be expensive for fishers because of lost gear, as well as the cost and time to repair damaged gear. For the whales, the impacts of entanglement can range from minor to severe, including incidents that can lead to death. Even an entanglement that isn't lethal can compromise a whale's health, as well as its ability to feed, socialize, and migrate.

Since its inception, the Whale Rescue Team has successfully disentangled dozens of whales, primarily entangled North Atlantic Right Whales.

For this talk, Greene will share memories of those rescues as well as information about the tools, techniques, and skills used to free whales.

About the presenter

Greene is a lifelong Campobello resident who grew up working in the fishing industry, receiving his first boat at the age of 13. He studied navigation at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) in St. Andrews, NB, then continued his education at Holland College Marine Training Center, in Summerside, PEl and at the Caraquet School of Fisheries.

He has been a licensed captain since 1990. Since 1995, he has owned and operated Island Cruises Marine Adventure Ltd, a whale-watching business on Campobello Island. For many years he also taught Navigation and Marine Safety courses and also worked as the Marine Operations Manager for the New England Aquarium's Right Whale Research team.

In 2002 Greene helped establish the Campobello Whale Rescue Team. He holds a Level 5 Whale Disentanglement certification, one of an elite group on the eastern seaboard, certified by NOAA to disentangle right whales in USA waters. He served as the Canadian Large Whale Disentanglement Coordinator at the Center for Coastal Studies. Mackie is one of only five expert whale disentanglers recognized by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Greene's contributions to whale conservation have been widely recognized. He has received the Animal Action Award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a Queen Elizabeth Il Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and, on July 1, 2020, Mackie, and Joe Howlett, were each awarded the Governor General's Meritorious Service Cross which "celebrates Canadians who have performed an exceptional deed or activity that brings honour to Canada."