Ocean Plastic and Marine Animal Welfare

Plastic pollution in the ocean causes welfare harm to millions of marine animals annually through ingestion, entanglement, and chemical toxicity that affect species from sea turtles to fish to zooplankton.

Key Facts

Approximately 8-12 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually
An estimated 90% of seabirds have ingested plastic fragments
Ghost fishing gear — lost nets and lines — continues trapping and killing animals for years after loss
Microplastics have been found in the bodies of animals from deep sea fish to Arctic polar bears
Plastic ingestion causes gut blockage, reduced feeding, and chemical toxin exposure in marine animals
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch covers an area twice the size of Texas in the North Pacific Gyre

Welfare Considerations

Ocean plastic causes a spectrum of welfare harms. Large plastic items cause entanglement and acute trauma. Ingested plastic causes gut blockage, leading to chronic food deprivation and slow death. Ghost fishing gear traps animals in prolonged suffering before exhaustion and drowning. Microplastics and the chemicals they carry bioaccumulate through food chains, affecting reproduction and immune function. These harms are distributed across virtually all marine animal groups. The welfare case for plastic reduction is among the clearest available: individual consumer choices, corporate commitments, and extended producer responsibility legislation all reduce the flow of plastic into the ocean and consequently the welfare burden on marine animals.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption as directly as possible
Participate in coastal and river clean-up events to prevent plastic from entering the ocean
Advocate for extended producer responsibility legislation for plastic packaging
Support Ocean Conservancy and Surfrider Foundation ocean plastic campaigns
Raise awareness about ghost fishing gear as a particularly persistent source of marine animal welfare harm