Whale’s tail was ‘anchored’ by rope off Scotland. Then local fishermen come to rescue

Two local fishermen recently rescued a humpback whale that had become entangled in rope off the United Kingdom.

The pair were creel fishing on Feb. 9 near the Isle of Skye — located off northwest Scotland — when they received a report of an entangled animal.

Having been trained by the Scottish Entanglement Alliance (SEA), a conservation nonprofit, the men decided to assist, according to a news release from the University of Glasgow, which partners with the SEA.

“On arrival at the scene, they carried out a full assessment and found the whale was anchored by a single rope around its tail,” the university said.

With the help of SEA staff, the men hoisted up the creel fleet — a group of baited traps connected via rope — and severed it. A video posted by the university shows the men on board a small vessel and slicing through the rope.

As a result of their efforts, the whale was freed.

“This was a great example of the vital role fishermen can and do play in entanglement mitigation, and the importance of understanding not just the animals involved, but also the fishing gear and ground,” Ellie MacLennan, the university’s SEA project coordinator, said in the release.

The rope that the fishermen severed was free-floating — as is common with creel gear. Because the rope is loose, it forms loops underwater that can ensnare whales.

“The Scottish Entanglement Alliance is holding ongoing trials of sinking rope, which lies flat on the seabed in collaboration with Scottish creel fishermen. The use of such rope would likely have avoided this entanglement,” MacLennan said. “This work shows that there may be a relatively straightforward mitigation for such entanglements in creel gear which can be led by fishermen.”

Entanglements with fishing gear, in addition to collisions with ships and underwater noise, pose a threat to humpback whales, which are found throughout all the world’s oceans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Globally, an estimated 300,000 cetaceans — which include whales and dolphins — die each year as a result of entanglements, according to the Marine Mammal Center, a conservation nonprofit.

This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 2:27 PM with the headline "Whale’s tail was ‘anchored’ by rope off Scotland. Then local fishermen come to rescue."