On the 9th of November at 7:30am local time, the Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker, presently campaigning against illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea (West Africa) in cooperation with the government of Benin, was approached by a skiff carrying approximately seven to eight persons, some who were armed. The crew implemented anti-piracy measures and mustered in the ship's citadel while armed Beninese Navy sailors on board the Bob Barker successfully deterred the suspected pirates, who retreated.

Over the past years, the Gulf of Guinea has seen an increase in acts of piracy. Sea Shepherd has security measures in place to address this threat while working to protect marine wildlife together with partner countries. The emergency preparedness of Bob Barker crew and the professionalism of the Benin Navy kept the ship and all of its crew safe. Sea Shepherd is committed to continuing our work of partnering with governments to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.