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Shark 911: Video shows Mote Aquarium experts rescue struggling predator near AMI

Bradenton

A shark got help escaping a sticky situation near Anna Maria Island on Friday when marine deputies found it in distress, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Two deputies spotted the shark stuck in a crab trap buoy line near Manatee Public Beach and contacted the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium for assistance, the sheriff’s office said in a post on X.

The team from Mote arrived in a marine research boat and removed the hooks from the shark, freeing it from the fishing equipment.

The shark can be seen swimming away in a video shared by the sheriff’s office.

Manatee County Sheriff’s marine deputies came across a shark in distress while patrolling off Manatee Public Beach on Jan. 9, 2026. They contacted Mote Marine to assist in freeing the shark from a crab trap buoy line and fishing gear.
Manatee County Sheriff’s marine deputies came across a shark in distress while patrolling off Manatee Public Beach on Jan. 9, 2026. They contacted Mote Marine to assist in freeing the shark from a crab trap buoy line and fishing gear. provided Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

This story was originally published January 12, 2026 at 4:54 PM.

Profile Image of Amaia Gavica
Amaia Gavica
Bradenton Herald
Amaia Gavica is the Bradenton Herald’s breaking news reporter. She has reported in multiple states and earned her degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.
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