A humpback whale known as Starry Knight has returned to the Salish Sea (which encompasses the waterways into and around the Port of Vancouver) after not being sighted for more than 10 months, providing an encouraging outcome following two serious entanglement incidents in 2025.

The whale was observed near Gabriola Island (Southern Gulf Islands) on July 14 after surviving separate rescues from fishing gear last summer, including one incident involving more than 60 metres of line and another that aggravated existing injuries. Wildlife observers report that the whale appears to be in good condition despite the severity of the previous entanglements. The sighting underscores both the importance of the Salish Sea as critical feeding habitat for humpback whales and the ongoing need for efforts to reduce whale entanglements in fishing gear and other marine debris