Marine debris including ghost gear, plastic packaging and derelict fishing equipment entangles and injures millions of marine animals annually in one of the most preventable welfare harms in ocean environments.
Marine debris entanglement is among the most severe and prolonged wildlife welfare harms caused by human activity. An entangled seal or whale may carry ghost gear for months, with constriction injuries worsening progressively as the animal grows into the rope or net. Animals that cannot be located and disentangled die slowly from the combined effects of injury infection, starvation from impaired swimming and eventual drowning. The suffering involved is severe, prolonged and individual. Preventing entanglement through gear retrieval incentive schemes, biodegradable gear development and vessel monitoring is far more effective than reactive rescue. Consumer reduction of single-use plastic also reduces the marine debris burden affecting these animals.