Keep An Eye Out If You Are Outside

[mrmoshe]

If you are heading offshore over the weekend...keep an eye out

for this whale in trouble and give the authorities a yell.

Cheers and thanks,

Pete.

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Whale tangled in shark net

Residents of Sydney's coastal areas are being asked to look out for a whale that may be dragging a shark net with buoys attached.

The NSW Nature Conservation Council (NCC) says the whale became entangled this morning off Whale beach, on Sydney's northern beaches.

NCC officer Giselle Firme said onlookers reported seeing the whale fighting to free itself from the net, finally swimming off but taking the net with it.

It was heading south when last spotted by a group of divers, Ms Firme told AAP.

She said anyone sighting the whale should call the Royal Surf Life Saving Association, which would inform the whale and dolphin conservation charity ORCA of the whale's whereabouts.

Ms Firme said both the conservation council and the Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund were asking the NSW government to immediately stop shark netting of Sydney beaches during September and October, while whales are migrating.

"The Nature Conservation Council has long been of the opinion that bycatch of marine species in these nets is unacceptable, she said in a statement.

"The NSW government is aware that over 8,000 harmless marine animals have been caught and killed in nets between 1950 and 2002.

"Yet these statistics are ignored in favour of maintaining the illusion that these nets protect the public."

AAP

[pelican]

Someone better warn that whale that if fisheries find him trawling without a license and safety gear he is in for a big fine.

I thought several years ago they were going to start putting metal somewhere on the nets so they had an echo footprint so Whales and dolphins would know it is there??

Edited November 16, 2007 by pelican