Plea for sightings of entangled humpback

Commercial fishing boat operators and charter boats are being urged to report sightings of any large humpback whale near the Bay of Islands today as the hunt continues for another whale entangled in ropes and buoys.

A 12-15 metre humpback whale was spotted on Wednesday near Moturua Island near Russell in the Bay of Islands off the Northland coast. It had rope and a buoy in its mouth.

The Department of Conservation is looking for it so it can try to cut the line free but the whale has not been seen since the first sighting.

It was the second sighting of a humpback whale entangled in ropes and buoys off the Northland coast.

Earlier this week DOC staff cut free a rope from a humpback whale off the Northland coast.

DOC spokeswoman Elke Reufels said conditions were too rough yesterday and today to send a boat out to search off the Bay of Islands but it was asking commercial operators to report any sightings.

She said because the entanglement may not be obvious, DOC wanted to hear about any sightings.

Ms Reufels said the whale was probably heading south to feed but because of the conditions it was like "trying to find a needle in a haystack".

"If you just see the tail fluke or dorsal aspect of the animal you may not be able to see the entanglement so any sighting of a humpback whale or any large whale in the Bay of Islands or south of here would be of great interest," she said.

Winds of at least 20 knots were not expected to ease until later in the day.

- NZPA