Marine Mammal Bycatch and Entanglement Welfare

How bycatch and fishing gear entanglement affects the welfare of whales, dolphins, and seals.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises die from bycatch each year worldwide
Entanglement in fishing gear is the leading cause of death in many endangered whale populations
Entangled animals can drag gear for weeks or months, causing exhaustion, starvation, and infection
Rope entanglement in whales causes severe wounds as rope cuts into blubber and muscle during swimming attempts
Acoustic deterrents on nets, modified gear designs, and time-area closures can reduce entanglement rates

Welfare Considerations

Entanglement in fishing gear causes some of the most prolonged and severe suffering documented in any wild animal welfare context. Whales that cannot free themselves from trap lines or gill nets may drag gear for weeks, slowly deteriorating as the rope cuts deeper and starvation weakens them. Disentanglement operations by trained teams can save individual animals but cannot address the scale of the problem. Gear modification and fishing practice changes are necessary for meaningful population-level impact. For consumers, choosing seafood certified by programs that require bycatch reduction gear and independent monitoring is one of the most practical ways to reduce demand for fisheries with high entanglement rates.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by programs that monitor and require bycatch reduction, such as Marine Stewardship Council certified fisheries
Support organizations training and funding marine mammal disentanglement response teams
Advocate for regulations requiring bycatch reduction gear in fisheries operating near marine mammal populations
Reduce overall seafood consumption to decrease fishing pressure on marine ecosystems
Support research into effective gear modifications that reduce entanglement while maintaining fishing viability