Tagging Program Halted After Dead Orca Found With Tag Pieces

SEATTLE (AP) — Federal biologists have temporarily halted a satellite tagging program after a dead endangered Puget Sound orca was found with pieces of a dart tag lodged in its fin.

Canada's Department of Fisheries and Ocean says the initial exam of the 20-year-old whale found off Vancouver Island last month found no clear cause of death.

Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are reviewing what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again. The small satellite-linked device is designed to detach and leave nothing behind.

Some whale advocates wonder whether the controversial program should continue. They worry about injuries to the whales, and say the federal government has enough data to take action to protect the small endangered population.

NOAA researcher Brad Hanson says the program has yielded valuable data about where the orcas go during the winter and what they eat.