Rescuers free humpback whale entangled in fishing line off New South Wales

Rescuers from the Sea World Foundation freed a humpback whale entangled in fishing gear off the coast of New South Wales after a challenging, hour-long operation carried out in gale-force winds and crashing waves.

Drone footage released by the foundation showed a thick rope wound tightly around the whale’s tail, restricting its movement and leaving the animal in what rescuers described as a compromised state. The rescue team responded after reports of a whale in distress and said they were able to cut the rope free in just over an hour; the whale swam away under its own power, and video from the scene showed no other animals in immediate distress.

The incident unfolded during the peak of the annual humpback migration, when tens of thousands of whales travel north to breeding grounds in warmer waters before returning south to the nutrient-rich seas near Antarctica. Humpback and southern right whales are the species most commonly sighted off New South Wales, though blue whales, minke whales, sperm whales and occasional orcas are also seen along the coast. Popular coastal towns such as Byron Bay, Port Stephens and Eden frequently attract whale-watchers during the late winter and early spring peak.

Sea World Foundation officials characterized the rescue as one of the more difficult operations of the season because of the weather and sea state. Drone video provided by the foundation and distributed via Storyful captured the rope tightly looped around the whale’s tailstock, a configuration that can cause severe injury, impair movement and increase the risk of drowning or predation if not removed.

Experts say humpback populations in Australian waters have rebounded substantially since the end of commercial whaling, but human-related hazards persist. Conservation groups and marine scientists cite entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with vessels as leading threats to large whales. The International Whaling Commission estimates that around 300,000 whales and dolphins die each year worldwide from entanglement with fishing gear and other fishing-related activities.

Local rescuers and national marine-animal response teams have increasingly relied on drone reconnaissance, specialized cutting tools and coordinated small-boat operations to address entanglements quickly and safely. Swift action is considered critical: prolonged entanglement can cause deep tissue injuries, inhibit feeding and migration, and lower the animal’s chance of survival.

Incidents such as the recent rescue highlight ongoing tensions between marine conservation goals and fisheries operations. Authorities and advocacy groups continue to explore measures to reduce gear loss and improve gear design, as well as to expand reporting and rapid-response capacity for distressed marine mammals.

The Sea World Foundation said the team would continue to monitor the area and urged boaters and fishers to report distressed animals to local wildlife authorities. The freed whale’s immediate departure under its own power suggested it avoided serious incapacitation, but responders noted that entanglement injuries can sometimes surface later and that ongoing vigilance remains important during the busy migration season.