Volunteers of the SA Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) were activated on Saturday, following reports of a whale carcass entangled in the fishing nets of a fishing boat approximately 7 nautical miles off-shore of the Port of Port Elizabeth.
Spokesperson, Craig Lambinon says after being released from fishing ropes, but still entangled in fishing nets, the carcass of the 11-meter Brydes Whale was towed to Coega harbour, with the permission of the harbour authorities, where the NSRI assisted in the recovery of the carcass to a landing zone to cut the remainder of the fishing nets.
He says NSRI sea rescue craft then towed the whale carcass out to the deep sea where it was released.
Lambinon says samples from the carcass were collected for the Department of Environmental Affairs and marine scientists.
(Pic: SAWDN)
