The group says it reported the distressed whale in waters off the Sunshine Coast to authorities but when no-one had arrived almost an hour later, they took action fearing it was 'drowning'.
Members of the group say they knew the risks but could not let the animal suffer and swum out to cut it free.The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is considering whether an investigation is required into possible offences under the Fisheries Act.
But Will Wensley and Brenton Owens abandoned plans for a sunrise swim and yoga session at Marcoola Beach when they saw the whale in distress on Monday. A Marine Animal Release Team was en route to release the whale when it was advised members of the public had already done so.In recent years there have been several reports of members of the public trying to assist with whale rescue operations.And in 2020, a recreational diver escaped a fine after cutting free a humpback in Burleigh Heads.
"Particularly in this kind of entanglement situation, they could quite easily just by movement of their body knock a person out, causing death or substantive injury to the well-intended rescuer."Under Queensland legislation, a person can be fined $19,356 for entering waters within 100m of a whale.It is also illegal to come within 20m of shark nets used in the state government's shark control program.
"They'd already been called in an hour before we were there, and this animal was literally dying, it was drowning."Sea Shepherd Australia shark defence campaigner Jonathan Clark said the shark nets — introduced in the 1960s — were "barbaric" and should be removed. 'Build more houses' sure sounds great as a solution to the housing crisis, but a few key factors scream 'buyer beware'
Sharks Queensland Sunshine Coast Shark Nets Humpback Yoga Paddle Board Beach Ocean Sea Shepherd Conservation Whale Rescue Whale In Shark Net Fines Whale Trapped Department Of Agriculture And Fisheries DAF Shark Control Program Marine Animal Release Team Shark Control
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