Humpback whale trapped in fishing line, rescued by lifeboat volunteers

A humpback whale tangled in a fishing line was rescued by a team of lifeboat volunteers off the coast of Cornwall.

The distressed mammal was discovered wrapped in a crab or lobster pot in Mounts Bay near Port Newlyn on Sunday by Penzance Ocean Discovery Cruises.

Several other boat operators soon arrived to try to help the whale, named “Ivy”, before the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescued the whale from the rope.

The dramatic rescue was captured on camera by a woman standing on the shoreline, who became visibly emotional as the whale was released.

A man who was also at the scene to watch the rescue said the whale flapped its tail and waved goodbye as it swam away.

Andy Cowie, owner of the Atlantic Adventures cruise company, was one of the captains who went on a whale cruise after seeing a post on social media.

Mr Cowie, who is also a member of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Team, told us independent How it was tied to the ropes used to connect crab and lobster pots to buoys.

Mr Cowie said: “It tried to break free but ended up getting even more entangled in the ropes.”

“The whale was also injured and was obviously in pain.”

He said the captain’s team had been monitoring the whale before the RNLI decided to release it.

Mr Cowie said the whale had been sighted off the coast in recent weeks and he believed its appearance could be due to the effects of global warming.

According to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, at least 30 humpback whale sightings were recorded in the area in 2023/24.

In February, hundreds of people traveled to Falmouth after three people were spotted near the coast. Last month there was another sighting near Porthleven.

Mr Cowie said: “Humpback whales migrate further south to breed at this time of year and it is thought that due to global warming their food sources are reduced further north so they are unable to build up fat reserves to reproduce. “Continue heading south – so stop for a bite to eat around our coastline before continuing south. “

Mr Cowie said dangers to whales in the area included trawlers and lost fishing nets.

He added: “Today highlights the dangers our marine wildlife face from human activities.

“We hope and pray that Ivey will recover from this ordeal.”