A humpback whale just off Coffs Harbour was safely disentangled from commercial fishing gear yesterday afternoon thanks to a team effort by community, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Water Police's Marine Area Command, Jetty Dive Centre and Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia volunteers.
The final cut of the discarded fishing ropes was made at 2 pm by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Marine Wildlife team's Britt Anderson.
Not only had Ms Anderson undertaken training with the NPWS Large Whale Disentanglement team – a team of 45 professionals providing whale rescue operations this migration season – she is actually a trainer for the team.
However, the operation was only possible thanks to support from a range of people, including Jetty Dive Centre, who first reported the whale to NPWS. Jetty Dive later provided their crew and vessel as a support boat for the operation.
The Coffs Harbour Water Police vessel monitored the whale for hours as it moved slowly northwards through the ocean until the NPWS crew which arrived at 1 pm for the disentanglement operation.
NPWS crew was also greatly assisted by Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) volunteers throughout the day, who watched from the headland and provided updates on the whale's speed and movement. The discarded fishing gear was retrieved from the water and brought ashore.
Each year, humpback whales undertake huge migrations, travelling up to 10,000 km from the Southern Ocean to breeding grounds in warmer climates.
As they travel through inshore Australian waters, humpback whales are susceptible to becoming entangled in fishing gear and other marine debris which can lead to fatigue, injury, and death.
Disentanglement rescues can sometimes take multiple days of tracking before a successful intervention can be made. Disentangling marine wildlife is a complicated and dangerous activity that is not always successful and requires highly skilled and trained operators as well as the right conditions to safely approach the animal.
The Large Whale Disentanglement team is part of a range of initiatives minimising the risk of humpback whale entanglements. The NSW Government is also working with the fishing industry to develop whale- and dolphin-friendly equipment less likely to lead to entanglements.
Quotes attributable to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Marine Wildlife Team Leader Duane March:
'What a tremendous result for the Large Whale Disentanglement team, NSW Police's Marine Rescue, ORRCA, Jetty Dive and the community.
'We're thrilled with this positive outcome, but we know whale disentanglements are inherently dangerous and dependent on weather and sea conditions. The safety of our teams is always the number one priority.
'We can't always guarantee a successful rescue, but we're committed to doing everything in our power to help these animals when we can, especially given the risks they face from fishing gear and other marine debris.'
Quotes attributable to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Marine Wildlife Project Officer Britt Anderson:
'Seeing this huge animal swim free yesterday was an incredible thrill.
'To be able to cut the final rope was a privilege, and it was truly a team effort that freed this whale.
'Without support from Jetty Dive Centre, Large Whale Disentanglement team, NSW Police's Marine Rescue, ORRCA and the community, this outcome wouldn't have been possible.'
Images and footage are available on Dropbox.
