Whale freed from shark nets off Noosa on Sunshine Coast

For the second time this week a whale has been trapped in shark nets on the Sunshine Coast with authorities freeing the latest case off Noosa.

Authorities have successfully freed a whale which was trapped in shark nets off Noosa after bad weather and fading light hurt chances of an early rescue attempt overnight.

A Fisheries Queensland spokesman confirmed the whale’s entrapment on Friday morning and said a Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol’s Marine Animal Release Team (MART) had been activated.

They said the whale became caught in shark control equipment off Noosa late on Thursday.

“A program contractor remained with the whale overnight to monitor its condition, as it was not safe for MART to attempt to free it in bad weather and darkness. Human safety must come first,” the spokesman said.

“MART trains every year for whale release situations and has specially-designed equipment to undertake a safe release.”

The fisheries spokesman said the whale was finally freed about 7.30am on Friday.

It’s the second case on the Sunshine Coast this week, with a calf becoming caught in a shark net off Mooloolaba Beach about 8.30am Wednesday.

According to Fisheries Queensland the whale released itself and swam away safely about 10am that day.