Whale snared in Qld nets freed
- From: AAP
- July 26, 2013 12:58PM
Rescuers are working to cut away nets wrapped around the fin and tail of a humpback whale off Noosa. Source: AAP
RESCUERS have successfully freed a humpback whale caught in shark nets off Noosa in southeast Queensland.
The net was wrapped around its pectoral fin and tail.
A rescue team from Queensland’s Boating and Fisheries Patrol managed to cut the nine metre long mammal free.
Queensland Shark Control program manager Jeff Krause says it was a successful rescue.
“Throughout the release the whale was relatively calm and was near the surface, which meant it could breathe easily,” he said.
“Once it was released, it swam easily away.”
This is the first whale this migration season to be caught in shark nets in Queensland.
Since 2000, 34 whales have been caught in shark nets in Queensland.
Three of the whales died.
