A Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol’s Marine Animal Release Team (MART) has successfully freed a whale from shark control equipment off Rainbow Beach on the Sunshine Coast.
Queensland Shark Control Program Manager Jeff Krause said the Sunshine Coast Marine Animal Release Team successfully released the 7-8 metre whale free from the nets at approximately 1.15pm today.
“The Marine Animal Release Team was activated after the whale entanglement was reported this morning by a local surf lifesaver and local Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service,” Mr Krause said.
“The whale was breathing and in a calm condition while it was being released and swam away strongly after being released.
“Today’s successful release is further evidence that the highly skilled MART crews, located at Mackay, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast are at the forefront in the safe release techniques of these animals.”
Mr Krause said whale entanglements in shark nets were rare events.
“Queensland is blessed to have an estimated more than 33,000 whales pass along our coast every year,” Mr Krause said.
“Since 2006, the Fisheries Queensland Marine Animal Release teams have successfully released all but two whales.
“During the 2018 humpback whale migration six whales were caught in Shark Control Program apparatus and all were successfully released alive.”
This is the first whale this migration season to be caught in Queensland’s shark nets.
