Plastic Pollution and Marine Animal Welfare

Plastic pollution causes direct welfare harm to marine animals through entanglement, ingestion, and chemical contamination, and reducing plastic consumption is a direct marine welfare intervention.

Key Facts

An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually
Marine wildlife including sea turtles, seabirds, whales, and fish ingest plastic debris mistaking it for food
Ghost fishing gear — abandoned nets and lines — continues killing fish, dolphins, and turtles indefinitely
Microplastics have been found in the tissues of virtually every marine species tested
Six-pack rings, balloon strings, and monofilament fishing line are among the most lethal entanglement hazards

Welfare Considerations

Plastic pollution causes multiple categories of welfare harm. Entanglement in abandoned fishing gear or plastic packaging causes animals to drown, starve, or suffer progressively worsening wounds as they grow. Ingestion of plastic debris causes gut blockage, false satiety, and toxin exposure. Chemical pollutants that adsorb onto microplastics disrupt endocrine function in fish and marine mammals. Reducing plastic production and improving waste management are the most effective systemic interventions; individual actions include reducing single-use plastic consumption.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption especially items that commonly end up in oceans
Participate in beach and waterway clean-up events to remove existing plastic pollution
Support legislation taxing or banning single-use plastics with high ocean pollution rates
Donate to organizations removing ghost fishing gear from marine environments
Choose products from companies with plastic reduction commitments in their supply chains