Marine & Aquatic

Marine: Ocean Plastic Ingestion Wildlife Welfare

Plastic pollution in oceans causes widespread welfare harm to seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles and fish through ingestion and entanglement.

Key Facts

Over 8 million tonnes of plastic enters oceans annually
90% of seabirds and 50% of sea turtles have ingested plastic
Plastic ingestion causes blockages, malnutrition and chemical toxicity
Microplastics are now found in tissues of fish, marine mammals and seabirds
Plastic entanglement causes constriction injuries and drowning

Welfare Considerations

Plastic ingestion causes a prolonged welfare harm - animals feel full but receive no nutrition, leading to starvation. Chicks fed plastic by parents starve with full stomachs. The scale of this welfare problem is global and requires systemic change in plastic production and waste management.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption and improve recycling
Participate in beach and waterway clean-up events
Support Extended Producer Responsibility legislation for plastics
Advocate for global treaty on plastic pollution with strong welfare provisions