A young yearling in Gouritz became another victim of discarded fishing gear last week. Luckily, SMART volunteers jumped into action and set it free.
Western Cape, South Africa (26 November 2025) – Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (SMART) received the call on Friday afternoon last week. A young Cape fur seal had been spotted on the rocks with a fishing net wound around its neck.
One of the volunteers who responded was Mossel Bay local, photographer and SMART member, Michael de Nobrega, who made the drive out to Gouritz after hearing the alert.
“This will definitely go down as one of my highlights of the year,” he later shared. “When I arrived, I found this seal looking very uncomfortable on the rocks, and for good reason. It had a large piece of fishing net looped five times around its neck.”
Two SMART volunteers from Gouritz had already been monitoring the seal, and together they teamed up to devise a plan to safely perform the rescue swiftly and safely.
“We began planning how to approach the situation. We didn’t want to frighten it back into the ocean, so we had only one chance,” shared Michael.
First, the team had to check if the seal was visibly injured – this would determine their next step. Michael, wielding a gaff and a camera, had all the right tools for the job.
“I took out my camera and, using my long lens, confirmed that the seal hadn’t yet sustained any injuries from the net. So, rather than trying to catch it with a net and cut it free, which could have put us at risk of being bitten and caused the seal unnecessary stress, we decided to use a gaff and attempt to pull the net off.”
It’s crucial to keep a safe distance from seals when encountering them on the shore or in the water. Not only does being overcrowded cause them stress, but being bitten or attacked is a real risk. Especially given the recent confirmation of rabies in individual Cape fur seals along the coast.
Keeping a good distance, Michael, gaff in hand, expertly wobbled along the rocks as he wrestled the net off the entangled yearling.
“Our plan worked like a charm, and now I can officially tick wrestling a seal off my bucket list.” he later joked. “What started as a very sad situation ended with the best possible outcome: the moment that net came free, the seal lifted its head, let out a relieved little grunt, and shuffled back towards the water completely unharmed.”
SMART shared their relief and gratitude for their volunteers, whose swift action made all the difference for the little seal’s future.
“This rescue is also an important reminder of the ongoing impact of discarded fishing gear on our marine wildlife. Every report, every call, and every bit of awareness helps us protect these animals and keep our coastline safer.” they shared.
The rescue was caught on camera by Miguel, Michael’s son and junior ‘SMARTie’. Well done, team!
SMART has been responding to marine mammal emergencies along the Mossel Bay coastline since 2015. They operate under the authority of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and work closely with organisations like NSRI, SPCA, SAPREC, Bayworld, CapeNature, SANParks and more, making sure that dolphins, turtles and whales have trained hands looking out for them.
Sources: Linked above
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