Why I want to dive the Galápagos Islands

If you ask any SCUBA diver why he or she wants to dive the Galápagos Islands, you will most likely be greeted with wide eyes, a gaping mouth, and a few brief stutters before the diver has a chance to collect him or herself. For many divers, the simplified answer is, "Because it's the Galápagos!"

Yes. The islands making up the Galápagos are indeed the Galápagos... glad we have all come to an agreement. But what makes this chain of islands formed from ancient volcanic eruptions so beautiful? So unique? So magical? Why is the underwater world of the Galápagos Islands so breathtakingly wondrous and sought out by explorers, scientists, and adventurers alike?

The Galápagos Islands lie nearly 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in South America. The remote location of the unique archipelago has allowed for relatively low human impact. With a protected status and strict visiting regulations, Ecuador hopes to keep the natural ecosystem free from the adversity of humans. The surrounding waters are also heavily protected and only about six to eight dive boats have the permits and privilege of bringing divers to explore beneath the surface. 

Home to the Galápagos finches and central to Darwin's Theory of Evolution, the diverse array of avian species that inhabit the islands are found no where else on Earth. Do you remember the cute little blue-footed booby? Well half of all mating pairs of this species, nest within these islands. 

Meme courtesy of google images...

The Giant tortoise, the Galápagos penguin, the Waved albatross, Flightless comorants, Marine iguanas, and Galápagos sea lions are all unique species and endemic to the islands. These animals are found no where else on the planet, which makes them extremely vulnerable to human disturbances.

When I think "dive the Galápagos," I think hammerhead sharks. I see the photograph that hangs above my bed every night. A brilliant array of schooling hammerheads silhouetted against the ocean surface. It is most often the last thing that I look at before going to sleep... "One day I'll get to see that. One day, that photographer beneath the massive schools will be me, and one day I'll be able to experience that awe-inspiring beauty."

Photo courtesy of Eric H Cheng (http://echeng.com)

For years, scientists have been enthralled by the schooling hammerheads of the eastern Pacific. The sharks gather in schools up to the hundreds, and are known to travel long distances together during certain times of the year. Such schooling has been identified as a major component in the social hierarchy of hammerhead shark mating. The larger, dominant females will gather in the center of the schools, while the smaller less fecund or juveniles sharks are are pushed to the outskirts of the group. It has been witnessed that male hammerheads will dart into the center of the shoals and choose a mate. Scientists have also observed that the sharks will head out into deeper water at night, when mass mating is expected to occur. The scalloped hammerhead species (Sphyrna lewini) are most well-known for this behavior.

To spark an even greater appreciation for how truly amazing hammerhead sharks are, studies and tagging programs have revealed that these sharks travel thousands of miles along ancient geological fault lines between Cocos Island (Costa Rica), Malpelo Island (Columbia), and Wolf and Darwin Rocks in the Galápagos! (I'm trying to stifle my mental, "Holy sheinzas, that's so cool!!!")

But for real now... these brilliant creatures are extremely vulnerable to overfishing, and the resident populations of the Galapagos are continuing to decline despite the marine protected area status of the islands. I've written about the perilous pressures for shark fin before, but to bolster my unwavering reverence for the magnificent predators, we need to reroute the path of environmental conservation. Preservation efforts need to begin with inherent appreciation for biodiversity.

Back to the original question... if someone were to ask me why I want to dive the Galápagos Islands, I would answer with an ecstatic, "because I want to see schooling hammerheads!" 

I don't want to touch them. I don't want to catch them. I don't want to interfere with natural behaviors.

All I want is a chance to see them from a distance and to observe the true beauty that humanity seems intent on destroying. When it comes to exploring unique underwater ecosystems, I'm a firm believer in: take only photos, leave only bubbles... behold the magnificence, and upon your journey back to the surface, be the voice of nature.

Olazul: Innovation for Marine Conservation

Over the past couple years, I have been involved with the Connecticut Sea Grant and their efforts to further scientific research in sustainable shellfish aquaculture. In conjunction with the CT Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture, I served as an undergraduate researcher in an oyster restoration project aimed at using innovative remote-setting aquaculture techniques to restock Connecticut's natural oyster beds in Long Island Sound. This opportunity, along with researching the history of the shellfishing industry in Connecticut, allowed me to gain an unparalleled appreciation of the development and overall importance of the industry as a whole.

While I learned much about technical shellfish aquaculture methods and epizootics, the thing that impacted me the most was working alongside the oyster growers and harvesters. Most of the fishermen and deck hands were immigrants that only spoke limited English. They were happy to toil away in all sea conditions, and they always greeted me with a bright smile and eager enthusiasm. Both the owner/captain and his employees were extremely helpful in this project. They were personally interested in our research and whether we would find a way to sustain their livelihood and the bolster the shellfishing industry.

If you would like to read more about my research project, please feel free to read either of the two articles I published in CT Sea Grant magazines:
http://web2.uconn.edu/seagrant/whatwedo/aquaculture/dredge/fall2012.pdf
http://seagrant.uconn.edu/publications/magazines/wracklines/fallwinter12/restocking.pdf

So now, with my personal encounters with the many aquaculturists and fishermen behind the shellfish industry in Connecticut, I feel like I have a more deepened understanding of various sustainable fishing issues that plague larger fisheries around the world.

I'm going to be a bit blunt here by saying this; there are fishermen out there that could care less about preservation and only care about coming home with a fat paycheck....HoWEvER... most of the fishermen that I have come into contact with do care deeply about conservation of oceanic and coastal resources. They have learned through experience that their livelihood depends on protecting natural fish stocks and limiting harvests to preserve resources for future years and generations. This goes for finfish and shellfish alike.

That said, I want to introduce you to an organization that, in the past couple years, I have seen grow tremendously. Olazul, a non-profit organization based out of La Paz, Mexico, is dedicated to sustainable ecological aquaculture. While they are primarily a shrimp hatchery and aquaculture facility, they have grown to also support sustainable seaweed and ornamental aquarium species aquaculture and research.

Here is their main website: http://olazul.org/index.php

Please watch this promotional video for Olazul and their mission to bring ecological aquaculture to the forefront of sustainable fisheries!

The awesome team that is Olazul: http://olazul.org/team.php

I want everyone that considers themselves to be an ocean activist to think long and hard about balance. Where is the balance between sustaining the natural wonders of the sea and preserving marine ecosystems, and supporting the economy and local fisheries driven by the world seafood industry? Please watch this video and familiarize yourself with the real men and women behind small-scale fishing operations that put food on your plate! Support Olazul in any way you can and let us all be conscious of where our seafood is coming from.