Marine experts warn irresponsible fishing increasing risk of whale entanglements

CAPE TOWN - Marine experts from the University of Pretoria's whale unit are warning that irresponsible fishing can result in more whale entanglements.  
 
The warning comes as there seems to have been an increase in whale beaching and entanglements recently.  

In the last two months, the country's southern coastline has seen two whale entanglements and three beached whales.
 
Research manager of the MRI whale unit, Els Vermeulen said it is difficult to free a tangled whale without hurting it.  
 
"The main thing we can do is make sure we don’t discard fishing gear into the water and that our fishing practices are safe, so that responsible fishing gear is very important and then obviously the support of the whale disentanglement network."