Humpback whales face significant welfare threats from fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes, both of which cause acute suffering and contribute to population-level harm.
Individual humpback whales caught in fishing gear can spend days or weeks in increasing distress before rescue or death. Entanglement causes lacerations, exhaustion, and drowning — prolonged suffering at a significant scale. Vessel strikes cause immediate severe injury and death. Preventative measures include whale-safe fishing gear with breakaway components, mandatory vessel speed restrictions in known whale habitats, and mandatory whale-watching codes of conduct. Consumer choices around seafood and support for marine protected areas contribute meaningfully to reducing this suffering.