Kimberly Blair

pnj.com

Attempts to rescue a bottlenose dolphin entangled in fishing line off of Pensacola Beach has been called off for now.

Trained rescuers and veterinarians with the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Network — made up of SeaWorld, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Gulf World in Panama City, Georgia Aquarium Dolphin Conservation Field Station in St. Augustine and Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge in Fort Walton Beach — spent about three hours Thursday morning on boats in the Gulf of Mexico making a final attempt to net the dolphin.

This was the third day this week, and fifth time in two weeks that the dolphin, which has been hanging around the Pensacola Beach Gulf pier for three to four months, has eluded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-led team.

Blair Mase with NOAA did not know when another rescue operation will be mounted. But said they will be keeping a close eye on the young dolphin pier anglers have named "James," even though it's unclear whether it's a male or female.

Nancy Forester with the Wildlife Refuge has been on the pier this week handing out dolphin-friendly fishing tips to anglers. She said rescuers spent about three hours Thursday trying to corral "James" in a net.

"They set the net one time, but it got away," she said.

The goal was to capture the dolphin, remove the line, treat a gash in its tail — called fluke — and release back into the Gulf without taking it out of the water. The team also was prepared with equipment to hoist it on board a boat and treat it out of the water before releasing it. And if the injury was serious, the team planned to take to Gulf World for rehabilitation.

As NOAA monitors the dolphin, Mase said they are encouraging the public to not feed marine mammals.

"It's illegal to feed dolphins, and we strongly discourage it," she said. "We want to encourage them to forage in the wild."

People don't realize feeding dolphins makes them dependent on the handouts, and they learn to associate people with food, losing their natural wariness of people and boats, according to a statement from NOAA that Mase supplied to the Pensacola News Journal.

This causes dolphins to put themselves in dangerous situations by readily approaching people, boats and fishing gear looking for a meal. They even try to take bait and catch off fishermen's lines, which angers the anglers, Mase said.

Mase also wants the help of the public.

If they see the dolphin become distressed or trying to beach itself, report it immediately to one of the following numbers:

- Report dead, injured or entangled dolphins and whales to The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge at (850) 650-1880 or to (877) WHALE HELP.

Download the Dolphin & Whale 911 smartphone app (available on iPhone and Android devices) to learn how to help stranded marine mammals and to connect to the nearest stranding response organization.