Although entanglements in fishing gear are still one of the most frequent causes of whale injury and death, there was a bit of good news this week in the Bay of Fundy. A humpback whale is swimming free after it was disentangled from fishing gear in a daring high-seas rescue.
A rescue mission was launched after a fisherman called in to report a humpback trapped in lobster-fishing gear off Grand Manan Island. Fears that the whale may have drowned (since the gear in which it was wrapped was anchored to the bottom) were unfounded once the team of fisheries officers and whale experts arrived on the scene.
Fortunately, there was enough slack in the ropes to allow the whale to breathe at the surface.
Rescuers worked on the docile whale for about an hour, cutting the ropes and completely freeing it from the fishing gear. Phew...one happy ending to an often tragic tale!
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