Crews faced challenging conditions as they worked to free the young whale caught during its annual migration.

A young whale has been freed after becoming entangled in shark control netting during its annual journey along the east coast.

The dramatic rescue unfolded off Kirra Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast about 3pm on Tuesday, after beachgoers spotted the struggling calf and alerted authorities.

The Sea World Foundation joined forces with Queensland's Department of Fisheries Marine Animal Release Team (MART) to respond to the distress call, launching a delicate and risky operation in choppy conditions.

"It's a dangerous process to disentangle a whale, and the bad sea conditions didn't help," Sea World Foundation head of marine sciences Wayne Phillips said.

Crews found the calf's left pectoral fin had become wrapped in netting, while its mother stayed nearby.

Sea World said the mother appeared to have also been tangled but had broken free on her own, snapping the net in two.

Phillips said the clock was ticking and the sun fading.

"We took our time to make sure we had the right strategy and approach, ensuring we made the right cuts at the right time."

Making the wrong cut, he explained, could have left the animal with a "mobile entanglement" -- meaning it would swim away dragging still parts of the net with it -- putting it at serious risk as it continued its migration.

Despite the tangled mess, the calf's injuries were minimal as the team was able to make a strategic cut to remove the rope just over an hour into the operation.

"We were all elated we could get the calf free," he said.

"Everyone worked together really well."

Phillips described the moment the calf swam free as "amazing," especially after such a traumatic experience.

"Mum took her under her wing and off they went," he said.

In the past weeks, several whale calves have become trapped in shark nets along Queensland's southeast coast, fuelling growing debate over the use of the controversial control measures.

The latest entanglement involved a baby whale off the Sunshine Coast, marking the second incident in just three days, as rescue crews faced tough conditions to set the animal free.

Only two days earlier, a humpback and her calf were caught in netting near Noosa Main Beach, further intensifying calls to review the impact of shark nets on migrating marine life.

The Sea World Foundation said it will continue working with government agencies to research improved methods which will lessen the impact on marine life while remaining on standby for future rescue missions.