Marine Animal Welfare

Marine Turtle Entanglement Welfare

Entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris causes injuries and drowning in sea turtles requiring prevention and rapid response.

Key Facts

Entanglement in abandoned fishing gear (ghost gear) is a major mortality cause for turtles
Turtles entangled in active gear drown if unable to surface for air
Monofilament fishing line entangles flippers causing amputations in some cases
Dedicated disentanglement teams provide rapid response in high-risk areas
Ghost gear retrieval programs reduce ongoing entanglement risk for marine wildlife

Welfare Considerations

Individual turtles entangling in gear face drowning, severe injuries from cutting lines, and slow death from entanglement in ghost gear. Prevention through gear retrieval and mitigation technology protects individual welfare while supporting population conservation.

What You Can Do

Never discard fishing line or other gear in marine environments
Support ghost gear retrieval programs and ocean clean-up initiatives
Report entangled marine wildlife to local rescue services immediately