Marine Plastic Pollution and Wildlife Welfare

How plastic pollution in the ocean causes suffering, entanglement, and starvation in marine wildlife from seabirds to whales.

Key Facts

An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean annually
Over 700 marine species are documented to have been affected by plastic pollution
Entanglement in ghost fishing gear kills an estimated 136,000 marine mammals and sea turtles annually
Microplastics are found in the digestive systems of virtually all marine wildlife sampled
Seabirds feed plastic to chicks causing starvation as stomachs fill with indigestible material

Welfare Considerations

Marine plastic causes welfare harm through multiple mechanisms. Entanglement in fishing gear causes drowning, strangulation, and infection from constricting injuries. Ingestion of plastic pieces causes false satiety and nutritional deficiency as stomach space fills with indigestible material. Seabird chicks fed plastic by parents die of starvation with full-appearing stomachs. Ghost fishing gear - lost nets and lines continuing to catch marine life - causes ongoing welfare harms to millions of animals globally. The scale of plastic welfare harm to marine wildlife is enormous and growing, directly linked to plastic production and disposal systems.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption significantly
Participate in beach and waterway cleanups
Advocate for extended producer responsibility legislation for plastic packaging
Support ghost gear recovery programs that retrieve lost fishing equipment
Choose seafood from fisheries with responsible gear loss reporting and recovery