The endangered whales are North Atlantic right whales, which number fewer than 400 and are vulnerable to ship collisions and entanglement.

A North Atlantic right whale was seen near North Carolina wrapped in fishing rope and buoys. Two others were spotted off Massachusetts.

There are about 370 North Atlantic right whales alive. In the last week, NOAA has spotted three entangled in fishing gear, two likely fatal.

The sighting of this juvenile whale comes just a week after two other North Atlantic right whales were seen entangled in fishing gear off the Massachusetts coast

Three North Atlantic right whales have been spotted entangled in fishing gear off the coast of the U.S. just this month, according to information from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.

For the second time in a week, researchers have spotted an entangled North Atlantic right whale off the American coastline.

The whale spotted off North Carolina has suffered a serious injury and is likely to die as a result of the entanglement, NOAA said.

A third endangered North Atlantic right whale was found tangled in fishing gear off the East Coast last Monday, just days after two others had been recovered in critical condition near Nantucket. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found a North Atlantic right whale stuck about 60 miles east of the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Dec.