Protect SFF Malpelo, Sanctuary of biodiversity

Project Report – Catamaran Silky Protecting Malpelo (2018–2025)

Before 2018, Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary faced intense pressure from illegal fishing fleets, with up to 40 vessels operating at once. Each vessel deployed longlines with hundreds of hooks, resulting in thousands of hooks daily in these waters, severely affecting sharks, tunas, turtles, and other marine life. In response, the Colombian National Parks authority and Biodiversity Conservation Colombia (BCC) signed Agreement 001 of 2017, leading to the deployment of the catamaran Silky as a permanent patrol platform.

Since its first patrol in 2018, the Silky has completed more than 3,000 patrols and covered over 45,000 kilometers in the sanctuary. This presence has had a dramatic deterrent effect: illegal fishing activity has decreased by more than 99.9%around the island. Our crew has removed over 70,600 meters of ghost gear and longlines, directly saving 509 animals released alive, mostly sharks, with a survival rate of 97%.

The broader impact is even greater. By preventing the daily deployment of thousands of hooks, we estimate that 1.8 million pelagic animals have been saved since 2018, including more than 540,000 sharks spared from the fin trade. In addition, the Silky team carries out technical dives every year to maintain the ecological mooring system, ensuring that research and tourism vessels can anchor safely without harming the seabed.

This effort has only been possible thanks to the collaboration between BCC, Colombian National Parks, and partners like Colombia Dive Adventures, who provide essential logistics such as crew changes, supplies, and fuel. Together, we have built a model of effective marine protection in one of the most remote oceanic sanctuaries, showing that dedicated presence at sea truly saves lives—both of individual animals and entire species.