Blue whale entangled in a fishing line spotted off southern California coast

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The whale was first seen Friday afternoon by a cruise ship 5 miles off the coast of Rancho Palos Verdes, a NOAA spokesman said
It reportedly measures about 75 feet in length
Rescue attempts were halted on Friday and picked up Saturday

By Reuters and Zoe Szathmary For Dailymail.com

Published: 12:17 EST, 5 September 2015 | Updated: 20:03 EST, 5 September 2015

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A blue whale entangled in a fishing line was spotted off the coast of southern California on Friday and rescue workers were determining how to free the massive mammal, officials said.

The whale was first seen in the afternoon by a cruise ship 5 miles (8 km) off the coast of the upscale seaside community of Rancho Palos Verdes, said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) spokesman Jim Milbury.

Milbury said a crew authorized by NOAA to conduct marine animal rescues was on scene and assessing whether they could cut the line to free the endangered animal.

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Discovery: The whale was first seen Friday afternoon by a cruise ship 5 miles off the coast of Rancho Palos Verdes, a NOAA spokesman said

Issues: Aerial footage broadcast showed the thick line trailing dozens of feet off the whale's tail with what appeared to be a buoy attached to the end

He said towing the line could potentially exhaust the whale or cut into its skin, adding, 'It's certainly not doing it any good, that's for sure.'

Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, can grow to reach nearly 100 feet (30 meters) in length and weigh 190 tons (172 tonnes).

They were once driven to near extinction by whaling.

CBS Los Angeles reported this whale measures about 75 feet in length.

Authorities have urged whale watchers and others to stay away from the area, Milbury said.

Aerial footage broadcast by local television news outlet KABC showed the thick line trailing dozens of feet off the whale's tail with what appeared to be a buoy attached to the end.

Dan Salas, a captain for Harbor Breezes Cruises, told the Los Angeles Times that one of the firm's boats first saw the whale on an whale-watching trip.

Massive: Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, can grow to reach nearly 100 feet (30 meters) in length and weigh 190 tons

Rescue attemptes were halted on Friday and picked up Saturday, local media reported

'Nothing was unusual until the captain got close and he immediately noticed that the whale was in distress,' Salas told the newspaper.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department tweeted Friday: 'Due to dangerous conditions @MARescue has ceased rescue attempts for today. Rescue efforts will resume when the whale is relocated tomorrow.'

Los Angeles County's Marine Animal Rescue director Peter Wallerstein had told NBC Los Angeles: 'Well, we would love to have cut it all off and then freed the whale, but sometimes things are impossible.'

CBS Los Angeles wrote 'The rescuers tied a second, larger buoy to the buoy line to more easily keep tabs on the whale.'

According to KABC, on Saturday rescue attempts picked up.