Pelicans are frequently injured by fishing line entanglement and hook ingestion, creating significant welfare problems in coastal areas popular with recreational anglers.
Pelicans entangled in monofilament line suffer progressive constriction injuries as they struggle against the material. Wings amputated by cutting monofilament cannot be surgically reattached, leaving birds permanently flightless and unable to survive without permanent captive care. Hooks embedded in the throat or esophagus cause pain, infection, and difficulty swallowing before death or veterinary intervention. The social nature of pelicans means that injured birds often remain near colonies, visible evidence of ongoing suffering.