MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. – Florida deputies patrolling swim zones helped rescued a shark on Friday that was tangled in a crab trap buoy line.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said the shark was in distress and contacted staff from Mote Marine Lab, a nonprofit marine research organization.
“Mote staff arrived quickly and were able to safely remove several hooks and pieces of fishing gear from the shark, freeing it from the entanglement,” the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies said the shark was probably hooked by someone who was fishing from the beach and then it became tangled after wrapping the fishing line around the buoy line.
The sheriff’s office said without the help of Mote Marine, the shark likely would not have survived.
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