Home / Environment / Seal Rescued From Record Fishing Net
Seal Rescued From Record Fishing Net
8 Feb
Summary
- Young grey seal rescued from 30.7m fishing net on Falmouth beach.
- Net weighed 23.5kg, largest single pollution item BDMLR removed.
- Seal released unharmed, highlighting marine litter dangers.
A young grey seal found struggling on Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth was rescued after becoming entangled in an exceptionally large fishing net. The red netting measured an astonishing 30.7 meters and weighed 23.5 kilograms, marking it as the largest single piece of marine pollution from which the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) has ever freed a live seal.
The animal was considered incredibly fortunate to have been rescued so quickly. Members of the BDMLR response team, alerted by the public, collaborated with two Cornish Seal Sanctuary staff who lived nearby. Their joint efforts allowed the seal to be released back into the sea without sustaining any serious injuries.
BDMLR believes the retrieved net was part of mid-water trawl gear and emphasizes that entanglement in marine litter poses a significant threat to seals and other wildlife. The charity noted that this rescue occurred on the same date as a previous record in 2022, when a 11m net was removed.
