California sea lions and Steller sea lions are frequently entangled in fishing nets and lines, causing injuries ranging from deep lacerations to strangulation as animals grow around embedded gear.
Sea lions with embedded netting or monofilament around their necks are living with a mechanism of slow death. As the animal grows, the constriction tightens — causing progressive tissue damage, infection, and eventually fatal injury. This process can take months to years. Animals that arrive at rehabilitation facilities with deeply embedded gear require complex surgery and extended recovery. The welfare harm of fishing gear entanglement is not instantaneous but chronic, progressive, and painful — and most affected animals never reach help.