Cape Town - Another whale, a juvenile, an eight metre humpback, was rescued from fishing gear in Buffels Bay at Cape Point on Monday.
This comes after Minister of Environment, Fisheries and Forestry Barbara Creecy temporarily suspended exploratory fishing of octopuses.
The suspension came after at least three whales were caught in octopus traps in False bay over the past three weeks.
Two of these whales, a humpback and a Bryde's whale died as a result.
Craig Foster from Sea Change Project weighed in on the incidents.
“These whales are being killed in a protected area. This is iconic species and South Africa is known for the conservation of these whales. This is a disaster on a large scale," he said.
A group of concerned swimmers paddled out to Miller’s Point to honor the dead whales and also celebrate the suspension of the experimental octopus fishing license. Video: Tracey Adams / African News Agency
On Sunday a group of concerned swimmers paddled out to Miller’s Point to honor the dead whales and also celebrate the suspension of the experimental octopus fishing license.
On Tuesday, experimental octopus fishing licence holder Garry Nel Albatross said he could not comment and was taking the matter to court.
He said many jobs would be lost as a result of the suspension of the licence and that what was being reported was mostly “a bunch of nonsense”.