Costa Rica and Ecuador came together to study migratory marine species between the Galapagos Islands and Isla del Coco. A scientific expedition began the investigations on April 2nd and will continue for 11 days in 120 thousand square kilometers. The bi-national objective is one: to strengthen joint efforts to protect species that are in danger.
The Pacific Foundation will participate in the analysis, as well as scientists from the Galapagos National Park and the Isla del Coco National Park, with funding from the Waitt Foundation, the Shark Conservation Fund and the Helmsley Charitable Trust. MigraMar and the Center for Research in Marine Sciences and Limnology of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) will also participate in this project.
We want to quantify the distribution, abundance, and diversity of the existing species in the trans-boundary marine corridor using remote pelagic video stations with bait (BRUVS) Also, monitor marine mammals and seabirds through observation and investigate the effect of environmental factors such as temperature, depth and the presence of seamounts on the distribution and abundance of these species along this marine corridor,”
said Zdenka Piskulich, researcher of the Pacific Foundation.
The assessment of the status of shark and other pelagic stocks is particularly important due tp the rapid pace at which some species are declining. Large sharks are able to structure marine food chains by regulating prey populations and modifying their behavior. Therefore, the removal of sharks from the oceans could have important ecological consequences, such as the loss of biodiversity, and the function and health of the ecosystem,”
said a statement released by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE).