A New England celebrity feared dead is alive and kicking. The New England Aquarium said Echo, a humpback female whale, was spotted during the aquarium's first whale watch of the season Saturday at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary on Cape Cod, 25 miles east of Boston. Echo was spotted seriously entangled in fishing gear last September and officials worried she suffered a "lethal injury." Officials said crews were identifying individual whales during the watch when they noticed a distinctive set of vertical, dark hash marks on one of the whales. It was described as the printout of an echo-wave of dolphin or bat, the signature sign of Echo. "She's alive," Laura Lilly, one the naturalist on board, cheered in excitement. "Echo definitely has some new scars, but it was such a relief to see her back, especially so early in the season," Laura Howes, director of marine education and conservation for Boston Harbor Cruisers and the New England Aquarium Whale Watch, said. The Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown confirmed this was the first sighting of Echo since she was entangled last September. Echo was first seen at Stellwagen in 1988.

A New England celebrity feared dead is alive and kicking.

The New England Aquarium said Echo, a humpback female whale, was spotted during the aquarium's first whale watch of the season Saturday at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary on Cape Cod, 25 miles east of Boston.


Echo was spotted seriously entangled in fishing gear last September and officials worried she suffered a "lethal injury."

Officials said crews were identifying individual whales during the watch when they noticed a distinctive set of vertical, dark hash marks on one of the whales. It was described as the printout of an echo-wave of dolphin or bat, the signature sign of Echo.

"She's alive," Laura Lilly, one the naturalist on board, cheered in excitement.

"Echo definitely has some new scars, but it was such a relief to see her back, especially so early in the season," Laura Howes, director of marine education and conservation for Boston Harbor Cruisers and the New England Aquarium Whale Watch, said.

The Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown confirmed this was the first sighting of Echo since she was entangled last September. Echo was first seen at Stellwagen in 1988.