SALEM, Ore.— After four humpback whales were entangled this year in Oregon commercial Dungeness crab fishing gear, conservation groups today formally petitioned the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to adopt measures to reduce risk to the endangered animals.

“This year’s horrific entanglements show that humpbacks are in a lot of danger from Oregon crab gear,” said Ben Grundy, an oceans campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “If state officials don’t move to adopt whale-safe fishing gear, like pop-up buoys for Dungeness crab pots, endangered whales will continue to suffer and die preventable deaths.”

The petition urges the state to reduce the amount of fishing gear during feeding and migration seasons and open a pathway for fishers to use pop-up fishing gear, which eliminates untended buoy lines. It was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council and the American Cetacean Society.

Pop-up gear has been tested in the California Dungeness crab fishery with positive results. Recent experimental gear trials have demonstrated the gear is reliable, profitable and safe for whales and other marine animals, including sea turtles.

“The latest dead humpback whale should be a wake-up call that entanglements in Oregon crab gear are a major problem,” stated Ben Enticknap, fisheries director at Oceana. “Oregon fishery managers should act quickly to strengthen conservation measures to reduce whale entanglements.”

The true number of entanglements in Oregon commercial Dungeness crab gear this year is likely much higher than just the four humpback whales confirmed entangled. The federal government released preliminary results in September showing that accurate estimates may be five times as high. In other words, four reported entanglements may mean there were as many as 20 entangled whales in one year.

“The four humpback whales found tragically entangled in Oregon crab gear are a signal of a much greater entanglement problem, as only a small fraction of them are ever detected,” said Dr. Francine Kershaw, a senior scientist at NRDC. “The state should take swift, science-based management action to effectively protect endangered whales in Oregon waters.”

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating the entanglement of a young humpback whale stranded on Nov. 15 and euthanized on Nov. 17. Additional humpback whale entanglements in Oregon commercial Dungeness crab fishing gear were reported off Baja California, Mexico, on Sept. 25 and Moss Landing, California, on Sept. 26, meaning the whales traveled hundreds of miles dragging fishing gear.

Entanglements may cause starvation, infections, amputations and slow painful deaths, as well as reduce a whale’s ability to reproduce, further impeding recovery.

On Dec. 5, the department put out a fleet advisory for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery, urging fishers to be vigilant and take precautions to avoid entanglements. The advisory does not include enforcement measures, but the statement says the department is considering further regulatory action to reduce entanglement risk.

Each entanglement of a humpback whale or sea turtle in Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery violates the federal Endangered Species Act.

State law requires the commission to respond to today’s petition in writing within 90 days and either deny it or begin rulemaking proceedings. The commission meets next on Friday, Dec. 12.