Wild Animals

Wildlife Entanglement in Fishing Gear and Debris

Entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris causes immense suffering and death across marine and coastal wildlife.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 cetaceans die from entanglement in fishing gear annually
Ghost fishing gear (abandoned nets and lines) continues killing wildlife for years after loss
Sea turtles, seabirds, seals, and dolphins are all commonly entangled
Entanglement causes drowning, starvation, injury, and slow death from infected wounds
Gear retrieval programmes and modified fishing equipment can significantly reduce entanglement

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris causes prolonged suffering and death at massive scale. Entangled animals face drowning, strangulation, exhaustion, and injury from struggles to escape. The welfare case for urgent action on gear retrieval, modified fishing equipment, and reduced marine debris is compelling.

What You Can Do

Support organisations that retrieve ghost fishing gear from oceans
Participate in beach clean-ups targeting fishing line and nets
Advocate for mandatory gear loss reporting and retrieval programmes
Choose seafood from fisheries committed to reducing entanglement risk
Never abandon fishing equipment in or near water