Plastic debris, discarded fishing gear, and other marine waste entangles and injures millions of marine animals annually; individual suffering from entanglement injuries is severe and often prolonged.
Entanglement in marine debris causes one of the most prolonged and painful welfare outcomes for wild animals. Fishing line cuts progressively deeper as animals grow, causing necrosis that may take months to result in death. Seabirds trail hooks internally or externally for extended periods. Reduction of marine debris through source control is the most effective welfare intervention, but disentanglement rescue provides critical relief at the individual level.