Seven whales entangled in ropes, buoys and other marine debris are currently making their way through northern NSW waters, with marine rescue organisation ORRCA urging Ballina residents to report any sightings.

Vice President of the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), Pip Jacobs, said eight entangled whales had been reported over the past two weeks, with two successfully freed.

“We do have seven known individuals out there that are still dragging lines or buoys, and they’re the ones that we know about,” Ms Jacobs said.

“Unfortunately, there are often many more that are further offshore that haven’t been sighted.”

Ms Jacobs said the whales were continuing their migration north towards Queensland waters.

In the Northern Rivers, ORRCA works alongside the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Sea World on the Gold Coast to assist whales in distress.

“We’ve obviously been trying to track those entangled individuals up the coastline to get disentanglement teams to them,” she said.

On Sunday, ORRCA will hold its annual national whale census and is encouraging Ballina residents to take part from any safe coastal vantage point. People can register via the ORRCA Census Registration Page (https://www.orrca.org.au/pages/census)

Ms Jacobs said volunteers taking part in the count could also help monitor the entangled whales.

“Whale numbers are increasing on our coastline,” she said.

“So we have 50,000 humpbacks now coming through, and that estimate was revised up from 40,000 last year.

“But as the population continues to grow, we’re going to see more human impacts like entanglements.”

During the 2025 whale migration season, ORRCA recorded 28 whale entanglements. This season, 12 entanglements have already been reported.

“Often it’s an accidental interaction with commercial fishing gear, drumline ropes and marine debris — all those things that are out there in the ocean,” Ms Jacobs said.

Entanglement in fishing gear or marine debris can severely restrict a whale’s ability to swim, feed and breathe, often causing prolonged suffering, deep wounds, starvation, exhaustion and, in some cases, drowning.

Anyone who spots an entangled whale is urged to contact the ORRCA rescue hotline immediately on (02) 9415 3333. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.