Humpback whales face significant welfare threats from entanglement in fishing gear, with thousands of incidents annually causing injuries ranging from minor to fatal over extended periods.
Entanglement causes prolonged suffering measured in days, weeks, or months rather than the acute deaths typical of other human-caused wildlife mortality. Whales dragging heavy crab pot gear across ocean basins are documented by satellite tag data. The physical and energetic burden of towing gear disrupts feeding, migration, and reproduction while causing progressive wound damage. Ropeless fishing technology exists and is increasingly affordable, but adoption requires regulatory incentives. The Center for Coastal Studies and NOAA's Entanglement Response Network perform critical immediate welfare interventions but cannot address the systemic problem without gear modification.