Derelict Fishing Gear Study
Derelict fishing gear—lost, abandoned or discarded sport and commercial line, nets, traps, etc.—in the marine environment is a significant cause of injury in California coastal marine wildlife. We evaluated data for stranded animals only; our results may underestimate the true number of coastal marine animals injured by lost or discarded fishing gear in California.
Research by SeaDoc Director Kirsten Gilardi and others has studied the medical records from certain wildlife rehabilitation facilities in California to determine the rate and timing of injuries from derelict fishing gear.

