Well... first, before I introduce myself, I would like to share my happiness and enthusiasm to join the Albatross Task Force Team, Guardians of Albatrosses! I am very pleased to join this select group of people who dedicate their work and effort for this noble matter which is the conservation of such magnificent birds!
My name is Caio Azevedo Marques, I am a Brazilian biologist who has been acting in the area of marine biology, conducting scientific research and environmental monitoring, among other works applied to conservation of natural environments and their biodiversity.
I have just been selected to the position of Field Instructor of Albatross Task Force, here in Brazil, more specifically in the State of Espirito Santo, in the municipality of Itapemirim, in the district of Itaipava, where there is a diversified and expert traditional fishing community.
The Itaipava fleet and the fishermen are very famous in the most diverse ports of our country. Today Itaipava is well-known for having one of the largest fresh fish Brazilian exportation and it heads the tuna fish and dolphin fish large production.
All this fishing potential by the Itaipava's fleet represents a potential threat to the seabirds... But to date our knowledge of these fisheries is tiny by comparison, but I intend to change that! Actually, the strategy is get closer to this port, the vessels and fishermen, knowing their habits, customs and techniques, and get them as partners.
To create this link with the stakeholders, we will get space to introduce all the problems regarding seabird deaths, and together we can overcome these problems, protecting the seabirds and improving their fishery productions simultaneously...
Already I had been in Itaipava together with Demétrio (our former ATF field instructor). I had the opportunity to meet and establish partnerships with the Itaipava Fishermen and Shipowners Association (APEDI), that is the greatest local partners, and they are providing us a place to install a local office. Besides APEDI, we have also visited others institutions of extreme importance to consolidate us as effective partners of the regional fishing sector, such as the radio room where they maintain contact with the vessels at-sea.
We also visited the landing port, the harbor actually is still on the beach (they are building a port, that will facilitate the landings), and there is also a restaurant bar (undoubtedly this is the biggest fishermen meeting point!). In our visit to this harbour, we followed a dolphin fish landing, where we talked with fishermen and skippers.
I am very excited to start my task in Itaipava!