Entanglement in fishing gear is the leading human-caused welfare threat to humpback whales, causing prolonged suffering and death for thousands of large whales annually.
Entangled humpback whales suffer prolonged, intense distress over periods of days to months. The struggle against gear causes deep rope wounds that progress to systemic infection. Drag from gear impairs swimming, feeding, and surfacing, causing progressive exhaustion and starvation. Animals that survive entanglement often carry permanent injuries affecting long-term survival and reproduction. The suffering associated with entanglement deaths is among the most severe of any anthropogenic wildlife mortality cause. Transition to ropeless fishing technology in high-entanglement areas eliminates this suffering source while maintaining fishing viability.