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July 1, 2010

Seco de los Olivos. The whole team

BY: Silvia García

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© OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

 

Logo IndemaresYesterday we took the day off and took advantage to go shopping, wash clothes and finish some work on board. The divers, Carlos Suárez and Enrique Talledo, arrived at night. They will be on board for three weeks to take photographs and record our work outside and inside the water.

We’re still on Seco de los Olivos, where the divers can’t dive because this seamount’s highest peak is 78m from the surface and at that depth, only the underwater robot can be used to capture images.

Today, we did two dives with the ROV and one dredge, and again we found remnants of the white coral Madrepora oculata.  We had to cancel one of the dives because there were too many abandoned fishing lines on the seabed. At this rate, all the coral in this area will disappear in a few years.

On the surface, a small loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), lethargic from the strong midday sun, swam close to the boat’s bow and allowed us to take photographs. This species is protected by the Habitats Directive on the protection of European flora and fauna, so its presence in this area adds value to these waters and is a good reason to protect it.

On a final note, we see how a ship that is sailing by us throws fish overboard, a practice known as discarding. They were two, beautiful silver scabbardfish.