of Bermuda.

Marine Police fear the mammals could be at risk from lines attached to lobster pots and illegal fishpots.

Each year dead whales are found near the Island and there is a chance their demise could be linked to fishing gear.

P.c. Paul Watson was speaking after the Marine Police helped rescue a Humpback whale at the weekend, which had become entangled in nylon line and buoys.

P.c. Watson is adamant that the line was of the type used by Bermudian fishermen to attach to lobster and fish pots.

The young 30-foot whale was discovered by a kayaker in shallow water close to Warwick Long Bay on Sunday.

It had line wrapped around its body and was in distress, unable to free itself.

Marine Police and Aquarium staff joined forces to release the mammal, eventually cutting the line from it and herding it out to the ocean.

At the time it was believed the line had come from fishing gear that had been in the sea for a long time, but now that assertion has been undermined.

"It was caught in nylon rope which the vast majority of fishermen have in use on lobster pots,'' said P.c. Watson.

"I am not saying it was caught by local lines but I would be very surprised if the whale swam from the Caribbean with that on.'' He said there was a chance it could have simply swum into a line in the ocean but added that it would have been difficult for the whale to become tangled with a single line.

P.c. Watson it would be difficult to prevent such a situation happening again, since the fishpots are out there and whales migrate past the Island to the North Atlantic each year.

He added that there were many illegal fishpots in local waters that the authorities were aware of.