Deputies in west-central Florida came to the rescue of a shark that had gotten tangled in a crab trap buoy line, authorities said.
According to a social media post by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Marine Deputies Alan Judy and Eddie Hernandez noticed a shark in distress off the coast of Anna Maria Island on Jan. 9.
The deputies remained near the shark and contacted staff members at the Mote Marine Laboratory in nearby Sarasota.
Staff members from the facility were able to remove several hooks and pieces of fishing gear from the shark, allowing it to swim away.
“The shark was likely hooked by someone fishing from the beach and then became tangled after wrapping the fishing line around the crab trap buoy line,” the sheriff’s office said. “The fishing line likely broke off between the trap and the angler, leaving the shark unable to swim free.”
The sheriff’s office touted the fast response of the two deputies, adding that it was likely the shark would not have survived after becoming trapped.
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