Whale rescuers are preparing for a dangerous mission off the Far North Coast today to free a whale tangled in ropes - if they can find it.
The 7m humpback whale was spotted by a boatie off Doubtless Bay on the east coast about 11:30am yesterday. The rope was wrapped around its head and tail and the Department of Conservation (DOC) sent a boat and aircraft out at first light to hunt for it.
Methods developed overseas would be used to try and slow the whale down so they could get close and cut the rope free.
DOC spokeswoman Carolyn Smith said the method, known as kegging, involved using two ropes and two boats.
A hook on the end of a 10m rope was placed on the debris around the whale's head. That rope was linked to a longer, 50m rope which was hooked up to some buoys.
"That slows the whale down," Ms Smith said.
A second boat would follow behind the whale. When it tired, the buoys would be unhooked and a long pole with a curved knife would be used to cut the rope attached to the debris on the whale.
However, the whale was proving elusive today.
"We've been looking since first light and we sent up a plane about 7:30am but we still haven't seen it yet," Ms Smith told NZPA.
"If we can't find it around the Far North then we would presume it is migrating south so there's a good chance it would be seen in another area."
DOC Kaitaia area manager Jonathan Maxwell said attempting to free an entangled whale was a risky and dangerous task, so Kaitaia staff were getting expert help from Kaikoura.
Orca researcher Ingrid Visser was also helping DOC with the use of her boat.
Ms Visser is in the Far North following her involvement in a three-day whale rescue operation involving pilot whales stranded at Spirits Bay last week. Fourteen were saved.
Mr Maxwell said the whale was unlikely to be in any immediate risk of drowning but the rope was likely to be causing it distress and could cause injuries. It was also likely to impede the whale's movement and ability to feed.
The procedure for cutting whales free could be slow and take several hours and for safety reasons it required suitable sea conditions and was carried out only in daylight, he said.
NZPA