JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal agency announced plans Thursday for a more intense investigation into what caused the deaths of 30 large whales in the western Gulf of Alaska since May. 
 
 This May 22, 2015 photo provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shows a fin whale calf off Marmot Bay in Kodiak Island, Alaska. A federal agency announced plans Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, for... (Associated Press) 
 
 NOAA Fisheries declared the deaths an "unusual mortality event," triggering a new-level investigation that brings with it access to additional resources. The agency said the deaths are about three times the historical average for the region. 
 
 Julie Speegle, a spokeswoman for NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, said a leading hypothesis for the deaths is harmful algal bloom toxins but she noted that there currently is no conclusive evidence linking the two. 
 
 Officials have only been able to get samples from one of the 30 whales. Teri Rowles, NOAA Fisheries' marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator, told reporters during a teleconference Thursday that large-scale whale deaths are among the toughest to investigate, partly because the carcasses often are floating, rarely beached and difficult to access for examination. In Alaska, bears feeding on washed-up whale carcasses create safety concerns for researchers who want to collect samples, she said. 
 
 Without being able to conduct a more complete necropsy, scientists and researchers can look at such things as environmental factors, historical information and mortality among seabirds or other sea creatures to try to get a better sense of what is going on, Rowles said. But they are limited in what they can do without better access to the carcasses, she said. 
 
 Officials urged the public to report any sightings of dead whales or distressed animals that they encounter. 
 
 The agency plans to work with colleagues in Canada, where six large whales have been reported dead off the coast of British Columbia since May — five of those this month. Necropsies were conducted on two of the more recent carcasses, and the results are pending, said Paul Cottrell, marine mammals coordinator for the Pacific region of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. 
 
 Rowles said this does not appear to be a "coast-wide" event at this point, noting that large whale deaths have not increased during the same timeframe near California, Washington and Oregon as they have very locally in the western Gulf of Alaska. ||||| The large number of dead whales appearing along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska since May is raising alarms among scientists. 
 
 Thirty dead whales have been detected in the Gulf of Alaska since May, representing a die-off more than three times the normal rate, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 
 
 Another six dead stranded whales have been reported along B.C.'s north coast over the same time period, also a significant increase above annual seasonal numbers. 
 
 Paul Cottrell, Pacific marine mammal co-ordinator with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, says his team is collaborating with U.S.officials to investigate the situation. 
 
 "We're working closely with NOAA to analyze samples," Cotrell said in a joint media teleconference, noting necropsy samples had been gathered from two dead humpbacks found in B.C. waters. 
 
 The prevailing theory is that a large toxic algae bloom off the West Coast might be to blame. However, scientists have been unable to make a concrete connection. 
 
 Only one sample, characterized as "less than ideal," has been analyzed to date. It came back negative for one strain of algae toxins. 
 
 Gathering good samples has proven challenging. 
 
 "Alaska has an awful lot of coastline and much of it is difficult to reach," said NOAA adviser Dr. Bree Witteveen. "We can't get to those carcasses more often than not." 
 
 As well, field scientists have encountered "predator competition" while trying to gather samples, as witnessed by the news release photo showing seven large bears feeding on a fin whale carcass near Kodiak, Alaska. 
 
 So far four whales species have been identified in what NOAA is characterizing as an "unusual mortality event": humpback, sperm, grey and fin. 
 
 The public is asked to report any dead whale sightings, but should not approach or touch the animal. 
 
 In B.C. people can call the 24 hour Marine Mammal Incident hotline at 1-800-465-4336. ||||| NEWS RELEASE 
 
 August 20, 2015 
 
 Julie Speegle, 907-586-7032 w., 907-321-7032 c. 
 
 
 
 NOAA declares deaths of large whales in Gulf of Alaska an unusual mortality event 
 
 
 
 Bears feeding on a fin whale carcass in Larson Bay, Alaska, near Kodiak. Credit: NOAA 
 
 NOAA is declaring the recent deaths of 30 large whales in the western Gulf of Alaska an "unusual mortality event," triggering a focused, expert investigation into the cause. An unusual mortality event is a stranding event that is unexpected, involves a significant die-off of a marine mammal population, and demands immediate response. 
 
 Since May 2015, 11 fin whales, 14 humpback whales, one gray whale, and four unidentified cetaceans have stranded around the islands of the western Gulf of Alaska and the southern shoreline of the Alaska Peninsula. To date, this brings the large whale strandings for this region to almost three times the historical average. 
 
 The declaration of an unusual mortality event will allow NOAA and federal, state, and tribal partners to develop a response plan and conduct a rigorous scientific investigation into the cause of death for the stranded whales. 
 
 
 
 Map of unusual mortality event. Click on map to view a larger version. 
 
 "NOAA Fisheries scientists and partners are very concerned about the large number of whales stranding in the western Gulf of Alaska in recent months," said Dr. Teri Rowles, NOAA Fisheries' marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator. "While we do not yet know the cause of these strandings, our investigations will give us important information on the health of whales and the ecosystems where they live. Members of the public can greatly assist the investigation by immediately reporting any sightings of dead whales or distressed live animals they discover." 
 
 Experts from the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events, which was established in 1991 and is part of the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, determined that the high number of large whale strandings in the western Gulf of Alaska met the criteria for focused resources and research, and recommended the NOAA declaration. 
 
 The rigorous, collaborative investigation into these deaths will continue to involve scientists from NOAA and partner organizations, as well as members of the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network. 
 
 These kinds of investigations generally require months, or sometimes even years, of data collection and analysis, depending on the nature and duration of the event. NOAA will publish information on its unusual mortality event website as it becomes available. 
 
 Members of the public can assist in the investigation by immediately contacting the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network hotline at 877-9-AKR-PRD (877-925-7773) if they see a stranded or dead marine mammal. Only specially trained marine mammal experts are authorized to respond to marine mammals in distress. The public should not touch stranded or floating whales. 
 
 NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and our other social media channels at http://www.noaa.gov/socialmedia. 
 
 To learn more about NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, visit alaskafisheries.noaa.gov or www.afsc.noaa.gov. 
 
 
 
 ← News Releases | Fisheries Information Bulletins
– Some 30 large whales have been found dead in the western Gulf of Alaska since May and the NOAA wants to know why. The agency says it is opening a scientific investigation into what is calls an "unusual mortality event," with the number of whale deaths at three times the historical average for the area, reports the AP. The NOAA describes the event in a release as "a significant die-off" involving 11 fin whales, 14 humpback whales, one gray whale, and four unidentified whales. A rep suggests the deaths could be tied to algae bloom toxins, but there's no evidence for that yet. The NOAA notes the investigation could take months or even years. Officials have only been about to nab a sample from one of the 30 whales and it was labeled "less than ideal," reports the CBC, which notes the sample contained no presence of one strain of algae toxins. Getting to more whales is difficult: Parts of the coastline can be tough to get to, floating carcasses are hard to access as well, and beached whales can be magnets for bears, a coordinator says. Scientists will thus study environmental factors, historical data, and deaths among seabirds and other creatures to help shed light on the issue. "Our investigations will give us important information on the health of whales and the ecosystems where they live," the coordinator says. Researchers will also work with colleagues in British Columbia, where five large whales have been found dead this month; necropsy results on two are pending.