Humpback Whale Rescue In Cape Cod Bay

CAPE COD BAY — A humpback whale tangled in fishing gear in Cape Cod Bay Sunday was cut free by researchers. The rescue happened off Hyannis. The Center for Coastal Studies said a group with Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises spotted the whale in distress and called for help. The center dispatched its entanglement crew from Provincetown as the whale-watching boat stood by.

"The ... team discovered a small humpback that had line through its mouth leading to a bridle above the tail stock," the center said in a statement. "Responders were able to remove all the gear."

The whale swam away and appeared to be in good health. The center thanked the whale-watching group for calling for help.

The center encourages boaters who come across tangled marine life to contact their entanglement hotline at 1-800-900-3622 or the US Coast Guard on VHF 16 and stand by a safe distance until rescue crews arrive.

Photo: A crew from the Center for Coastal Studies cuts a tangled humpback whale free in Cape Cod Bay April 22, 2018. (Credit: Center for Coastal Studies)