Millions of marine animals are injured or killed by plastic and discarded fishing gear each year. Entanglement causes prolonged suffering for whales, seals, turtles, and seabirds.
Marine entanglement causes some of the most prolonged animal suffering documented in ocean environments. Entangled whales may carry gear for months to years, developing life-threatening infections, unable to feed normally, and becoming progressively weaker. Seals with neck entanglement grow into the constriction, causing lacerations and eventually death. Sea turtles entangled in plastic grow deformed by constricting bands. Rescue disentanglement is complex and dangerous, and many animals are never found or successfully freed.