Sea Shepherd patrol arriving to inspect the Pacific Star off the coast of Gabon, a shark can be seen caught up in it's net

The Bob Barker ship off the coast of Gabon on patrol. Marines and Fisheries officials are taken out on patrol of their waters, facilitated by Sea Shepherds crew, ships and boats. NGO Sea Shepherd are working with local government and are helping police the waters off the West coast of central Africa to support the countries who haven't the resources to do themselves. Some of the things they inspect for are illegal fishing and illegal fishing practice, such as finning of sharks and Rays, and under reporting of catch and by-catch, incorrect net size and net hole size, and bad handling of live animals. The west coast of Africa is an important area for migrating fish such as the Yellow Fin Tuna, going North to spawning sites. Whole schools are caught by waiting purse-seiner ships as they migrate. The purse-seiners use the latest technology to find the schools of fish and up to 2 kilometres of net 200m deep looped around in the shape of a circular purse with a drawstring beneath, which is tightened to stop anything within getting free, they are mostly Spanish owned. The by-catch comprises of sharks feeding on the Tuna, and turtles most commonly, whales can be caught up too. Fish, sharks and turtles that get caught in the nets are brought onboard, and once returned to the sea it is believed that up to 90% don't survive.