Marine Debris and Wildlife Welfare: Entanglement and Ingestion

Marine plastic and ghost gear entangle, injure, and kill hundreds of thousands of seabirds, marine mammals, and turtles annually. Reducing debris at source and improving removal programmes are urgent welfare priorities.

Key Facts

An estimated 640,000 tonnes of ghost fishing gear are abandoned in the ocean annually, entangling wildlife worldwide
Entangled animals experience prolonged suffering from lacerations, drowning, exhaustion, and starvation
Seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals are the most commonly reported victims of plastic entanglement
Ingested plastic causes internal injury, blockage, and chronic toxicosis in seabirds and marine mammals
Beach clean-up and ghost gear retrieval programmes have measurable impacts on local wildlife mortality

Welfare Considerations

Marine debris causes some of the most prolonged and painful suffering documented in wildlife populations. Entangled animals may struggle for days or weeks before drowning, starving, or succumbing to infection from wounds caused by constricting ropes or nets. Ghost gear is particularly dangerous as it continues to trap and kill indefinitely. Immediate welfare responses include improved fishing gear marking and retrieval, at-sea rescue and rehabilitation programmes, and source reduction through plastic regulation. The scale of the problem demands both individual action and systemic policy change to reduce marine plastic at source.

What You Can Do

Participate in beach and river clean-up events to remove debris before it reaches the ocean
Reduce single-use plastic consumption and support extended producer responsibility legislation
Support organisations working on ghost gear retrieval and marine debris removal
Choose seafood from fisheries with lower bycatch and gear loss rates — look for MSC certification