Pinnipeds including harbor seals, California sea lions, and fur seals are killed in large numbers as bycatch in trawl and gillnet fisheries.
Pinnipeds entangled in fishing gear experience prolonged suffering from restricted movement, exhaustion, and ultimately drowning or starvation. Ghost gear — lost or abandoned fishing equipment — continues catching marine mammals indefinitely. Bycatch reduction measures including pingers, modified gear designs, and seasonal closures significantly reduce pinniped mortality.