Marine Plastics and Wildlife Welfare

Plastic pollution in the oceans causes severe welfare harm to marine wildlife through entanglement, ingestion, and the accumulation of toxic chemicals in the food chain.

Key Facts

An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually
Entanglement in plastic ghost gear kills approximately 136,000 marine mammals and 1 million seabirds annually
Plastic ingestion has been documented in 663 marine species including 100% of sea turtles examined in some studies
Microplastics accumulate in the tissues of marine animals throughout the food chain
Ghost fishing gear — lost or abandoned nets — continues to catch and kill marine life for years

Welfare Considerations

Marine plastic causes some of the most prolonged and agonising deaths in wildlife. Entanglement in ghost nets causes slow drowning for air-breathing mammals and birds, or causes injuries that lead to starvation. Plastic ingestion fills stomachs with indigestible material, causing starvation while animals feel satiated. Sea turtle and seabird populations face chronic exposure; individual animals found in rehabilitation often carry life-threatening plastic burdens. Preventing plastic entry into the ocean is the most impactful intervention; removing existing ghost gear is also valuable but far more challenging.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption and advocate for extended producer responsibility
Participate in beach and river cleans to prevent plastic from entering the ocean
Support organisations working on ghost gear retrieval from marine environments
Advocate for mandatory recycling and packaging reduction legislation
Support marine debris research and monitoring programmes