Colombia: Saving sharks from illegal fishermen near Malpelo

A lone catamaran named "Silky" patrols the waters around the remote island of Malpelo, a protected but very dangerous refuge for endangered marine species in the Colombian Pacific. Environmentalists on the ship patrol these waters to chase away large fishing boats hunting for various sharks.

The Malpelo Nature Reserve consists of the island of Malpelo and the surrounding marine area. Fishing is prohibited around the island. The Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary is an important habitat for many threatened marine species. In 2006, the area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Unarmed and without backup, the activists scare away intruding ships and threaten to report them to the authorities. Sometimes, they even dive underwater to cut sharks loose that have become entangled in nets or lines. The activists say the Colombian government is not adequately protecting the sharks, which is why they are taking action.

"We try as much as possible to remove the [fishing] equipment and free the marine life that are trapped. That's the main mission," says Dario Ortiz, 53, a fisherman who became an environmental activist through the project. "This boat basically has to be on duty around the clock, 365 days a year, to contain this threat. It's a full-time job."

"The fact that the illegal fishermen do not return proves the project is working," says Colombian diver Erika Lopez, who founded the Biodiversity Conservation Colombia Foundation together with an Australian philanthropist. On land, she shows the confiscated hooks the illegal fishermen use to catch the endangered marine life.

Colombia has one of the richest marine fauna in the world. This year, the UN Biodiversity Conference will take place in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1. Not far from there is the country's extensive Pacific coast. It is an important migration route for hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and other endangered species.

On the high seas, far from the island of Malpelo, a Colombian Navy warship also patrols an area teeming with hammerhead sharks, marlins and other endangered sea life. The waters of the protected area attract illegal fishermen from far and wide. Many are from Ecuador, while others come from Panama, Costa Rica or even from China, where shark fins are a delicacy.

But the national navy is also active. Recently, three Ecuadorian fishermen were arrested for carrying a valuable haul of live silky sharks, hammerhead sharks, blacktip sharks, sailfish and blue marlin. "With our ships, we can at least carry out checks to prevent illegal exploitation," an admiral said.

Authorities confiscated over 334 tons of illegally caught fish between 2012 and 2022, according to the Ministry of the Environment. In 2020, then-President Ivan Duque banned shark fishing to protect populations. President Gustavo Petro partially lifted the ban in January, which led to outrage among conservationists. Small-scale fishermen are now allowed to keep and eat accidentally caught sharks.