Fewer whales winding up entangled in Hawaii debris

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) – The number of whales getting tangled up in fishing gear in Hawaiian waters has been on the decline.

No whale entanglements have been reported almost four months into the 2016-17 whale season. Ed Lyman with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said that’s the longest they’ve gone without one.

Last season, the first confirmed entanglement was in December 2015. There were a total of six entanglements during the 2015-16 season and 13 the year before, The Maui News reported Wednesday.

Lyman said the decrease could be because fewer whales are traveling...