Dead whale with tail severed is spotted in Howe Sound near BC Ferries collision site

VANCOUVER — A federal department has confirmed a dead humpback whale was spotted floating in Howe Sound, B.C., about a week after a BC Ferries vessel collided with a whale in the same region.

The Fisheries Department said in a statement that two whales were seen near the ferry on Oct. 18 as it sailed between Grace Point and Keats Island in Howe Sound, and one of the whales was struck after it surfaced in front of the vessel.

The department said it then received a report and photographs of a dead whale near Grace Point on Monday, but has not yet confirmed if it is the same whale.

Tasli Shaw, co-founder of Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea, said she also received photos of the dead whale from a local resident.

She said researchers traditionally use tail flukes or dorsal fins to identify a whale, but in this case, “quite tragically, the animal’s tail fluke was missing.”

She said its dorsal fin was also not visible in the photo, but she was able to identify the humpback as Notcho, also known as BCX1700, due to its right pectoral flipper.

Notcho’s age is unknown, but Shaw said the whale had been spending summers in the Salish Sea since 2017 to hunt for food.

“I’ve personally observed him on many occasions with other male humpbacks in competitive-type behaviour and following females around,” said Shaw.

“When I first heard the news, my heart sank, stomach dropped, dread overcame me because this is going to be an animal that I know personally, so it can not hit close to home.”

The Fisheries Department said it is working to locate the dead whale.

The department said it’s “engaging with the Squamish Nation regarding the response and any social, cultural or ceremonial interests related to the deceased whale.”

It said staff are also working to identify the animal and “arrangements are being made to conduct a necropsy, if feasible, to help determine the cause of death and gather additional information.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2026.

The Canadian Press