Humpback whales have made a remarkable recovery from commercial whaling, but entanglement in fishing gear, vessel strikes, and ocean noise pollution continue to cause significant individual suffering.
Entanglement causes profound, prolonged suffering in humpback whales. Lines wrapped around flippers, mouths, or bodies cut into tissue as whales struggle, causing deep lacerations, infection, and sepsis. Dragging heavy gear exhausts whales over weeks to months; some die slowly from starvation when gear prevents normal feeding. The psychological distress of entanglement — inability to move freely, persistent pain — is significant for animals with complex social lives and long-distance communication. Disentanglement teams risk their lives to free entangled whales, but many are found too weak to save. Ropeless fishing technology (on-demand gear) and biodegradable weak links represent the most promising solutions to eliminate the entanglement welfare crisis.