The number of whales caught in fishing gear along U.S. coasts hit an alarming record in 2024, highlighting how human activity continues to endanger marine life. According to the Los Angeles Times, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed 95 cases of whales entangled in fishing lines, nets, buoys, and anchor ropes last year. That’s well above the annual average of 71 and far higher than the 64 cases reported in 2023.
California waters were the deadliest hotspot, accounting for 25% of the incidents, especially around San Francisco and Monterey Bay. Humpback whales were hit hardest, making up 77 of the cases. Other species, including gray whales, fin whales, and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, were also caught in the chaos. Tragically, eight of the entangled whales were already dead by the time they were reported.
Entanglement is just one of many threats whales face as they try to survive in an environment reshaped by humans. Ship strikes, plastic debris, noise Pollution, changing food supplies, and chemical waste all pile on top of the stress caused by tangled ropes. Since 2007, over 920 humpback whales alone have been maimed or killed by ropes used in crab fishing gear. Nearly half of all incidents are directly tied to commercial or recreational fishing equipment.
Scientists and Conservation groups are urging a transition to safer, innovative methods like “pop-up” fishing gear that avoids leaving deadly lines hanging in the water. But progress is slow, and the challenge may deepen as funding for NOAA is threatened and Congress debates weakening the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a bedrock environmental law that has safeguarded animals since 1972.
The record numbers show one thing clearly: our ocean guardians are failing, and these giants of the sea cannot wait. Supporting sustainable seafood alternatives, reducing plastic waste, and choosing a plant-based diet are ways we can all help protect the Earth’s most magnificent animals. The health of our oceans, our environment, and ourselves depends on it.
This article by Nicholas Vincent was first published by One Green Planet on 2 October 2025. Lead Image Credit: Gchapel/Shuttersstock.
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