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Authorities respond after finding shark in dangerous predicament: 'The deputies stayed close'

An onlooker captured video.

Police officers made a risky shark rescue after the animal was spotted struggling to free itself from a harmful fishing line off the coast of Florida.

Photo Credit: iStock

This timely rescue saved a shark trapped in tangled fishing line off the coast of the Manatee Public Beach in Florida.

The animal had become entangled with a crab trap buoy line after the fishing line already attached to it prevented it from getting away.

What's happening?

According to CBS12, "While patrolling the swim zones, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said on Jan. 9, marine deputies noticed the shark struggling to free itself. The deputies stayed close to the animal and immediately contacted their partners at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium for assistance."

In the video taken of the Mote workers removing bit by bit of the shark from its manmade prison, the shark was clearly lethargic and desperate from trying to escape before help arrived.

After the Mote staff arrived, they were able to carefully disentangle the shark from the multiple hooks and what seemed to be fishing tackle gear attached to it, allowing it to swim free of the tangled mess of wires.

Had the deputies not spotted the shark and reached out to professionals as soon as possible, it is likely the animal would not have lived much longer.

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Why is this important?

Unfortunately, predicaments like this are not uncommon, as marine life is consistently affected by what humans put into the ocean.

It is crucial to note that the shark wasn't just tied against the buoy line with fishing wire; it had many bait and tackle implements embedded in its body.

This incident is a blatant display of how improper disposal of fishing gear can injure and often kill marine animals.

Haphazardly tossing waste into the ocean, be it used tackle or broader items like wrappers and plastics, will hurt and pollute the sea and its inhabitants. The Manatee Public Beach shark was just another victim of a bigger problem.

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People across the world have seen the effects of blatant marine pollution, with once-pristine beaches like those in Santa Monica, California, now littered with refuse and non-biodegradable materials like plastic.

Beyond the glaring hazard to the environment and its animal inhabitants, ocean pollution also poses a serious health risk to those living near coastal areas.

Swimming in waste-filled water or even breathing in the PFAS associated with plastics are a growing risk to more and more beachgoers the worse the pollution problem gets.

What's being done about this?

Officials at the Manatee Public Beach urged "beachgoers to be cautious when fishing near swim zones and to properly dispose of fishing gear to help protect marine life," per CBS12.

As human-created garbage is such a massive issue to tackle, the most digestible way to address it is to start with the individual.

Knowing recycling options and trying to use less plastic will help contribute to the larger effort to keep the ocean clean.

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