Marine and Wildlife Welfare

Whale Entanglement Disentanglement Welfare

Entanglement in fishing gear causes prolonged suffering for whales and other large marine mammals worldwide.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 cetaceans die from entanglement in fishing gear annually
Entanglement can cause drowning, injuries from gear cutting into flesh and starvation
Large whale species can carry gear for months causing progressive injury and exhaustion
Disentanglement teams including RNLI-trained responders operate in UK waters
Ropeless fishing gear technology can eliminate the primary entanglement hazard

Welfare Considerations

Entanglement causes some of the most prolonged and intense suffering in marine mammals. Individual whales carrying gear for months experience chronic pain, restricted movement and starvation. Prevention through gear modification is far superior to response after entanglement.

What You Can Do

Report entangled marine mammals immediately to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue hotline
Support campaigns for adoption of ropeless and whale-safe fishing gear
Advocate for fishing gear modification requirements in whale migration corridors