Large whale entanglement in fishing gear is a leading cause of injury and death for critically endangered right whales and threatens many other whale species globally.
Whale entanglement in vertical fishing lines causes some of the most prolonged suffering of any anthropogenic threat. Whales drag enormous quantities of gear for weeks or months with lines cutting into tissue causing infections and impairing feeding and swimming. Some entanglements are resolved by disentanglement teams but many whales die after extended suffering. Ropeless fishing technology offers a technical solution but requires regulatory mandates and financial support for fishers to adopt it.