Bottlenose dolphins become entangled in fishing lines and nets, causing serious injuries that impair hunting ability and can cause slow death.
Dolphins entangled in fishing gear experience acute panic and struggle that causes additional injury. Constriction injuries from fishing line worsen over weeks as the line cuts into tissue, impairing swimming and feeding. Dolphins that strand in compromised condition from long-term entanglement injuries have often suffered for extended periods. Gear modifications that reduce entanglement risk and rapid response rescue programs both reduce the duration and frequency of this welfare harm.