September -November 2008
North, Center and South of Chile Expedition |
We travelled over 3000 Km along the Chilean coast for two months, during which time we began the first formal interviews with Chilean artesanal fishermen to mainly find out what type of relationship or interaction fishermen have with orcas and other sea mammals. We conducted over 40 in-depth interviews in the following localities:
Northern Coast : Antofagasta, Mejillones, Punta de Choros, Caleta Chañaral de Aceituno.
Central Coast : Quintay, Maitencillo.
Southern Coast: Puerto Montt, Chilóe, Hornopirén, Hualaihué, Puerto Aysén, Puerto Chacabuco, Puerto Cisnes and Puerto Puyuhuapi.
|
August-September 2008
Strait of Gibraltar Season |
The first working season in the Strait of Gibraltar concluded successfully. We conducted observations of the behavior of orcas and obtained excellent images of orca behavior sequences. In addition, we obtained a photographic catalogue of behaviors highlighting the pursuit of orcas by pilot whales, theft of red tuna from fishermen by orcas and some seconds of submarine images of orcas. We spoke to the Turmares scientific team and with Renaud de Stephanis, director of Circe and current director of the Sociedad Española de Cetáceos (Spanish Society of Cetaceans) to cooperate in the study of orcas and other cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar and which is currently underway in the area. Finally, the first informal interviews were conducted with Tarifa fishermen to further expand on the relationship between humans and orcas and other sea mammals from the psychosocial point of view. |
June 2008.
Patagonian Fjord Expedition |
Accompanied by the documentary filmmaker Fernando López-Mirones we reached Punta Dungeness in the Magellan Strait. For three days we searched for orcas and Right Whales, but only saw sea lions and Southern dolphins. We also travelled to Puerto Montt and Hornopirén (continental Chiloé) with the same purpose but bad weather prevented us from sailing in search of orcas. We made use of our time in the Magellan Strait and Hornopirén to conduct informal interviews with navy authorities, ship captains, fishermen and local people, and compiled certain photographs taken by the interviewees. |
December 2007
Award-Winning Orca Project |
|
|
 |
 |
