Whales, Dolphins, Sea Lions, Among Thousands Entangled and Killed in Mile-Long Fishing Nets off California Coast

Since the 1970s, fisherman along the West Coast have used a specific type of net, known as drift gillnets, to catch swordfish. The nets, however, have historically reeled in more than just fish. The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit obtained and analyzed 25 years-worth of government records to determine how often drift gillnets unintentionally catch and kill sea life, including endangered and threatened species. Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban reports in a story that originally aired on Oct. 27, 2016.