National Parks and Wildlife Service has assembled a Large Whale Disentanglement team to help smooth the passage of humpback whales off Central Coast shores as they make their annual migration north to breeding grounds.
The team of 45 professionals includes 11 people from the Hunter Central Coast National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) branch who have all completed training for whale rescue operations.
Each year, humpback whales undertake one of the longest migrations in the animal kingdom, travelling up to 10,000km from the Southern Ocean northward to breeding grounds in warmer climates.
As they travel through inshore Australian waters, they are susceptible to becoming entangled in fishing gear and other marine debris which can lead to fatigue, injury and death.
In 2023, 13 humpback whales were successfully freed from entanglements off the NSW coastline.
If conditions allow, the NPWS teams will launch small inflatable boats, along with a larger support vessel, to approach an entangled animal and assess the entanglement, the animal’s condition, speed and behaviour.
They will then plan a release strategy to cut the animal free, which sometimes involves slowing the animal down by temporarily attaching large buoys.
Disentanglement rescues can sometimes take multiple days of tracking before a successful intervention can be made.
The NPWS crews work with partner organisations including Marine Rescue, ORRCA and Sea World to optimise statewide coverage for whale rescue operations.
The Large Whale Disentanglement Team is one component of a broader project to understand and minimise the risk of humpback whale entanglements.
The NSW Government is working with the fishing industry to develop whale and dolphin-friendly equipment less likely to lead to entanglements, while scientific research continues to better understand the drivers of whale migration and entanglement risks.
People enjoying the spectacle of the humpback whale migration are reminded to stay at a safe distance and avoid interfering with the animals.
If you see a distressed or entangled whale, contact the NPWS on 1300PARKS (1300 072 757) or ORRCA on 9415 3333.
For more information about the best whale watching locations in NSW and the NPWS Large Whale Disentanglement Team, visit: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wild-about-whales