A whale is trapped in a ship’s mooring lines just off the coast of Skye.
The mammal became lodged in the anchor line of an Organic Sea Harvests ship around 10 miles north of Portree, Skye’s largest town, earlier today. The organic fish farming company has two pens containing Salmon just off coast of the Trotternish peninsula on the island.
A member of staff spotted the humpback in difficulty and contacted British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) at around 7am on Thursday to raise the alarm.
BDMLR medics are at the scene near Rigg on the Isle of Skye working to free the creature. The charity urged people and boats to stay away from the area during the rescue operation.
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A BDMLR spokeswoman said: “Current assessment shows the animal is visibly entangled in a rope and unable to swim freely. Members of our Large Whale Disentanglement Team have mobilised from across the UK and with the help of the local community and emergency services are now working to free the whale as soon as is safely possible.
“The situation is currently ongoing and we kindly request that members of the public (and those in boats) please do not travel to see the whale whilst access is needed for rescue operations.”
It is understood the vessel, used to support salmon farming operations at the company’s Scottish subsidiary, Organic Sea Harvest, is the Arthur Douglas. The semi-hybrid service vessel was introduced to the company’s fleet last year.
A source said: “The call was put out over the radio just before 2pm. The whale is stuck in the anchor line of the ship. There is quite an emergency rescue operation underway as they need to free the Whale and don’t want to injure it.”
Whales – which are protected mammals – need air because they are mammals with lungs, not fish with gills.
Whales breathe air into their lungs at the surface of the water. They breathe through nostrils on top of their heads called blowhole.
They are protected by a number of laws and regulations including the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: Protects endangered whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
A spokesperson for Organic Sea Harvest said: “This morning, a humpback whale became entangled at our Invertote farm in Skye.
“We have suspended normal farming operations while our team works to free the whale.
“The Scottish Government and other relevant agencies were notified immediately, and expert marine mammal divers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue are on site.
“Marine mammals, including dolphins and whales, are a common sight near salmon farms, but it is extremely rare for them to come into contact with our sites.
“We understand this is a worrying situation, and we want to assure everyone that we are doing everything possible to help the whale.
“Our team is fully focused on securing the best possible outcome. We will continue to provide updates as the rescue operation progresses.”
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