Calling Shark Divers: World´s Largest Shark Sanctuary

Roberto Ochoa diving at the newly declared World Largest Shark Sanctuary in Galapagos 

Looking for an amazing spot to just kick back and dive into an unforgettable experience? Looking for the perfect shark dive spot? Well search no more...

Roberto Ochoa -Ecuadorian Marine Wildlife videographer committed to the protection and preservation of the ocean environment and all marine life has the spot just for you. 

Not only is Roberto talking about diving in the the location which is proud to home the largest biomass of sharks in the planet including schools of hammer heads and whale sharks and other 34 different shark species but the now the dive site has just received a protection extension boost.    

National Geographic reported on March 21 that the New Galápagos Sanctuary Has World’s Highest Abundance of Sharks. 

“Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa, announced creation of the marine sanctuary, together with 21 smaller conservation areas scattered through the volcanic archipelago, protecting over 47,000 square kilometers. The new sanctuary...extends around the northern Galápagos islands of Darwin and Wolf,” National Geographic reported. 

But what is this all about? If you like many others believed that the Galapagos where already under protection and part of a National Park then you would be right but there are several islands of Galapagos which were “off limits” of the Park. Now the Government extended the area of protection to encircle those islands. “A World Heritage Site because of their unique biodiversity and inspiration for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, the Galápagos Islands already had 97 percent of their landmass protected as a national park. However, less than one percent of the surrounding water was fully protected,” Nat Geo adds. 

Roberto Ochoa could not be more happy because the island's -Islands of Darwin and Wolf which he calls home are exactly those which are now under the new protection...but is this coincidence or causality? You figure it out. 

Ochoa is not just another dive operator of the Islands. His resume includes an amazing international dive log, extensive underwater video creation and worked on assignment for magazines and different companies such as Go Pro, Cressi, Galapagos Sky, Padi, Cousteau Divers, Discover Sharks, Ecuador Tourism, National Geographic and other magazines.

He considers his own video logs as “highly emotional, evocative, and very beautiful” and created to install a conversation about the future of our planet’s natural wonders. So if his videos are set out to do all these things one can only imagine what a diving expedition would be with him. But thanks to the support of National Geographic and Ecuador we don't have to imagine it at all. His latest expedition was broadcasted in Nat Geo's Pristine Seas Series and available online for free. 

Aboard Argo and Deep Sea submarines Ochoa worked to register the marine ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands exactly the area which is now under protection. Ochoa´s work aided in the creation of the new Marine Shark Sanctuary in Galapagos.

“The islands of Darwin and Wolf, in particular, contain a high abundance of sharks, from migratory hammerheads to reef sharks,” National Geographic ads. 

Ochoa working with the National Geographic Pristine Seas project -launched in 2008 by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Enric Sala set out to “find, survey, and help protect the last wild places in the ocean”.

“The mission of the expedition was to help protect the pristine marine ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands. Dr. Enric Sala led this esteemed project to examine and document the biomass of this marine treasure in order to make a case for increase the protection of the northern islands,” Roberto explained before the new area was declared under protection. 

PADI with insight knowledge of the expedition described the work as a three week expedition which utilized rich visual resources. 

“Over the course of the three week expedition, the team of divers and researchers used underwater cameras, drop cameras, pelagic cams, drones and 360-degree cams to document as much information about the Galapagos Islands as possible,” researchers explained.  

The team also used a 360-degree imaging submersible named the DeepSee. Dozens of dive logs were registered at depths of over 450 meters from the surface around the Fernandina, Isabela, Wolf and Darwin Islands.

“For me, it was a great honor to work with the Pristine Seas project and help champion the protection of such an important marine park. My dream is to use my experience and skills as an underwater cameraman to ignite a conversation about the future of our oceans, particularly the rich waters of my home country, Ecuador,” Roberto adds. 

Roberto also has a passion for Manta Rays and teamed up with the Marine Megafauna Foundation to protect them. “Specifically, I have used my media contacts to help promote the work of Dr. Andrea Marshall, another National Geographic explorer, and her team of researchers to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of manta rays in Ecuador,” Roberto stated. 

Ecuador hosts some of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. The Galapagos Islands are home to 2,900 known species of fish and marine animals. Not to mention endemic seabirds, the world’s only marine iguana and the only penguin population that lives north of the equator. Of these species 57 are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

According to a new study by Pelayo Salinas of the Charles Darwin Research Station, Sala, and colleagues, fish biomass there is on average 17.5 tons per hectare. That’s about twice as high as the second highest area known to science, the nearby Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica. 

“As one of the most important marine parks in the world, we need to bolster the protection of its marine wildlife so it can live and thrive without human threats or intervention,” Roberto ends it. 

Conservation plans, Marine Protected Areas MPAs, Marine and Ocean Sanctuaries and other type of protected ocean areas are usually wrongly confused as an just area where fishing is off limits and natural resources extraction is banned. While these activities are banned the banning of these activities are but a necessary element for the heart of a conservation and management plan to be effective. The real heart and core of conservation and management plan is actually not to ban activities but to protect the valuable environment and valuable ocean life which inhabits it. It has been extensively documented that protecting the environment and its elements is of much 

more value than the extractive activities which may be taken on. 

If you are a number man and number bottom line crushing is your thing don't worry National Geographic has those numbers at hand for you. 

“A new study by the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas project and the University of California, Santa Barbara found that each shark in the Galápagos is worth about 5.4 million USD over its lifetime, thanks to interest from the booming diving and tourism industry. A dead shark, in contrast, only fetches about 200 USD to the fishermen, “ National Geographic says adding... 

“Marine-based tourism supports more than a third of all jobs in the Galápagos Islands, bringing in 178 million USD per year. Further, the large no-fishing zone will benefit the fishermen who will still be allowed to fish waters outside the sanctuary, says Sala. “We know that well enforced no-take zones result in spillover of fish that increases fishermen’s incomes,” Sala explained. 

“Come scuba dive with Me in the Galapagos Islands and discover the best place of marine Wild Life! Santa Cruz and Isabela Island.This is one of the most wonderful adventures in the Galapagos,” Roberto ends it.  

So you´ve heard it, pack your bags and think no more...this is the place to go if you are into shark diving.