WHALE RESCUES PROMPT FRESH NET PLEA
THE head of marine sciences at Sea World says it is working with the state Fisheries Department on nets policy after three humpback whales became entangled in controversial nets off the Gold Coast in just three days.
A push to protect beaches with smart drumlines is in the spotlight after migrating whales have been repeatedly running into trouble off the Coast. Sea World Rescue and Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol’s (QBFP) Marine Animal Release Team were called to rescue a younger 8-10m whale of an unknown gender off Surfers Paradise about 6.30am yesterday.
They spent at least an hour cutting the giant mammal free using a specialised curved knife.
On Friday, rescuers freed a mother and a calf which became tangled in shark nets off Main Beach. Sea World head of marine sciences Wayne Phillips said the latest rescue was complex because the whale snapped an anchor line and trapped itself.
But “within about an hour the guys had the whale free and released and swimming on its merry way”. “The whale was quite entangled. Mainly over the head and right (pectoral fin), which was stopping it from moving,” Mr Phillips said. “We do understand it’s a difficult situation for the Queensland Government. We would like to see less nets during the whale migration and we are working with the Fisheries Department on that.”
Mr Phillips said they were pushing to replace nets with smart drumlines.
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