Marine Debris and Seabird Entanglement

Marine plastic debris entangles and kills seabirds in large numbers, with albatrosses, gannets, and petrels among the most affected species.

Key Facts

An estimated 1 million seabirds die from plastic pollution annually
Monofilament line and rubber bands are among the most deadly entanglement hazards
Seabirds feed plastic items to chicks, filling stomachs with non-nutritive material
Ghost gear — lost fishing equipment — is responsible for much marine entanglement
Plastic ingestion is now detected in over 90% of seabird species examined

Welfare Considerations

Seabird entanglement causes death by strangulation, drowning, or injury that prevents flight and feeding. A gannet with fishing line wrapped around its bill or a shearwater with its wings bound by monofilament experiences a prolonged, distressing death. The welfare harm is preventable through source reduction of plastic entering marine environments and improved fishing gear management. Beach cleanups remove hazardous debris, but the volumes entering oceans annually far exceed removal capacity, making upstream policy change essential.

What You Can Do

Participate in beach and river cleanups to remove entanglement hazards
Dispose of fishing line, rubber bands, and plastic bags appropriately — never in waterways
Support extended producer responsibility legislation for single-use plastics
Donate to organizations monitoring and addressing seabird plastic impacts
Advocate for gear marking requirements that enable identification of ghost gear sources