A baby humpback calf was successfully rescued after becoming entangled in fishing nets off the coast of Vancouver Island.
On September 9th, crews operating Canadian Coast Guard vessel M. CHARLES M.B. near Bamfield were able to spot the marine mammal entangled in fishing gear.
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For six straight hours, Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans crews worked to free the calf while its mother, identified as “Winnie” (BCY0462*) stayed close by.
In photos uploaded by the DFO, several fishing lines can be seen wrapped around the baby humpback’s tail.
“One of the biggest threats to our oceans and the animals that live in them is marine litter and in particular, ghost fishing gear,” writes the DFO.
“To identify entangled marine mammals, look for buoys or lines trailing behind or wrapped over the animal.”
The agency advises people to report stranded, injured, or entangled marine life to the DFO website whenever sighted.