SAWDN: Juvenile whale released in disentanglement operation - Dassen Island

A juvenile whale was released in a disentanglement operation North of Dassen Island on Friday 10th January, 2020. At 07h04, Friday, 10th January, SA Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) volunteers were activated to assist North of Dassen Island where a DEFF (Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries) research boat, Ellen Khuzwayo, was on the scene at a DEFF research rope, anchored to the sea bed, approximately 5 nautical miles North of Dassen Island, and a juvenile Humpback whale, 7 meters in length, was entangled in the rope.A SAWDN team from Cape Town responded to join SAWDN Yzerfontein members and 2 NSRI sea rescue craft accompanied by the SAWDN volunteers and accompanied by the specialised disentanglement cutting equipment, were launched by NSRI Yzerfontein duty crew to assist in the operation.On arrival on the scene in calm sea conditions the whale was found to be in a healthy condition and the SAWDN volunteers found one wrap of rope around the whales Caudal Peduncle and a bunch of rope was attached to that one wrap with two floatation buoys attached.In a disentanglement operation lasting half an hour, using the specialised cutting equipment, the rope line around the Caudal Peduncle was cut and the rope was recovered with the bunch of rope and the floatation buoys and the whale swam away confidently.SAWDN are satisfied that this operation was successful.The South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) was established in 2006 in order to manage entangled whales using specialized equipment and is comprised of trained volunteers from the - National Sea Rescue Institute, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Department of Environmental Affairs, Centre for Sustainable Oceans at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Nature, Mammal Research Institute, South African National Parks, South African Police Service, Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries, Cape Nature, Bayworld, various Boat Based Whale Watching and Shark Cage Diving Operators, the Rock Lobster Industry and the Octopus Industry and fully supported by the Dolphin Action and Protection Group.SAWDN COVERS THE ENTIRE SA COASTLINEWhales assisted to date: 194 -ENDS-