Nine orcas have died after becoming entangled in fishing equipment off the Alaska coast this year. Only five orcas died from fishing equipment in the region between 2016 and 2020. From 2016 to 2020, meanwhile, just five orcas were caught and killed by fishing gear off the Alaska coast, NOAA reported. These orcas likely aren't members of the Southern Resident species, of which there were only 73 individuals left in 2022. Orcas made headlines throughout this summer, but for a very different reason: killer whales began ramming into boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal almost daily.

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Persons: Hannah Myers, orcas, Orcas Organizations: Service, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Anchorage Daily, Southern Locations: Alaska, Wall, Silicon, Anchorage, Northern California , Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Spain, Portugal