Tailing Sharks in the Revillagigedo Archipelago
Shark Tagging and Conservation in the Revillagigedo Archipelago
by Courtney Mattison
In the radiant blue of the Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, about 250 nautical miles south of Cabo San Lucas, sharks rule. From its depths, Galápagos, hammerhead and silvertip sharks find all they need to thrive. White tips and silkies abound. Even the elusive whale shark, its enormous body weightless and almost invisible in the deep blue, frequents these waters. Humans are merely guests, and earlier this month, the Mission Blue expedition team paid a visit.
Sharks and rays throughout the Mexican Pacific and Gulf of California are threatened by commercial fishing operations, some which catch tuna and trap sharks as bycatch while others target sharks outright. Last year, the Mission Blue expedition team discovered tons of dead sharks on the beach of Bahia Los Frailes in Cabo Pulmo Marine Park in the Gulf of California Hope Spot, only 250 nautical miles from the Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve.…