Overview
Carried out in collaboration with the MarViva Foundation, the Marviva Med expedition documented illegal fishing of the severely overfished bluefin tuna, the impact of bottom trawling and driftnets on marine ecosystems and to identify marine areas that need protection in the Mediterranean.
Oceana recorded powerful images of bluefin tuna fattening pens and documented purse seiners illegally using spotter planes. The expedition also verified that the French vessels caught in 2007 for using driftnets to catch immature bluefin tuna were no longer using the gear and exposed that Italian driftnetters using these banned nets.
As a result of work done on and following the expedition, the European Union ended the bluefin tuna fishing season several weeks early for most of the Mediterranean’s purse seine fleet, a move which saved up to 100,000 bluefin in 2008 alone. For the first time, the Spanish Parliament considered creating a bluefin tuna reserve south of the Balearic Islands, a critical spawning area for the fish.
Diaries
The Crew
Alberto Iglesias
Safety Diver
Daniel Rodríguez
Underwater Photographer
Keith Ellenbogen
Underwater Photographer
Maribel López Carmona
Manager
Carlos Minguell Baños
Underwater Photography
Marta Sales
Marine Scientist
Miquell Moll
ROV Technican
Rebecca Greenberg
Marine Scientist
Camilo Bacolod
Cook's Assistant
Ana de la Torriente
Marine Scientist
José Cortez
Cook
Patricia Lastra
Marine Scientist
Ray Granada
Deckhand
Carlos Pérez
Logistics Coordinator
Jhun Bauno
Deckhand
Jesús Ávila
Deckhand
Edmun Pantojan
Electrician
Ramil Llera
Second Engineer
Sigitas Varnickis
Chief Engineer
Kumar Sobti
Chief Engineer
Joaquin Española
Second Mate
BARTOMEU BORDOY
ROV's Technician (Spain)
Eduardo de Ana
Support Staff at Gulf of Cadiz (Spain)
CONCHA MARTÍNEZ
Diver, Communications (Spain)
Xavier Pastor
Coordinator of the Expedition
LOLA VILLAREJO
Diver (Spain)
CÉSAR FUERTES
Deckhand (Spain)
JOAN PUIG DE FABREGAS
ROV Technician
MANUEL GALLEGOS
ROV's Technician (Spain)
JOSIANE DALCOURT
Diving Team Coordinator (Canada)
THIERRY LANNOY
Diving Team Coordinator (France)
GORKA LECLERCQ
Underwater videographer (Spain)
Videos
