Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) populations have recovered substantially since commercial whaling moratorium (1986), from near extinction to approximately 135,000 individuals globally. Despite this conservation success, significant welfare concerns remain. Entanglement in fishing gear (ghost gear, active fishing lines) affects thousands of humpbacks annually, causing injury, exhaustion, starvation, and death. Entanglement welfare impacts are severe: whales may carry gear for months, experiencing chronic trauma. Vessel strikes cause blunt trauma and propeller injuries. Noise pollution from shipping disrupts humpback communication and feeding. Whale watching, when poorly regulated, causes behavioural disruption. Disentanglement teams (USCG, BDMLR) respond to entanglement emergencies; ropeless fishing gear represents the systemic solution. IWC and ACCOBAMS provide international frameworks for whale welfare monitoring.