Our first day out on the water was exciting! It was an introduction to the entire course. We got to examine basic topics that we we’ll learn more about in detail. Some of the topics were different fisheries and techniques, ecology of islands, aquaculture, ecology, policy and marine issues. We traveled in “pangas”, in English this means boat; they can hold up to 16-20 people. The local fisherman also uses pangas. On our way to Isla Alcatraz, we observed many pangas in the water fishing for different things. Most were catching Blue Shrimp, which the season just started a couple week ago on September 18th. Others were catching Blue Swimming Crab by traps and buoys made from old plastic bottles or blocks of Styrofoam. Most of the boats are 3-4 meters in length and consist of a crew of 1-3.
The course focuses a lot on the local fisheries, for there is a lot of controversy between them and outside fisherman that are primarily 30-40 meter shrimp trawlers. Our boat captain Cosme was born and raised in Kino Bay. He also has his own fishing boats and a crew. He was able to share valuable knowledge with us that you couldn’t find in a text book. As we were passing all the pangas, he was pointing out his friends, family, and he own personal pangas. The fishing community is very united in Kino. Everybody knows everybody. We pulled up to his brothers boat, and they seemed very excited and happy to talk to us. The translation for me is very difficult so I didn’t gather much of the conversation except for “Blue Shrimp”. Cosme asked them to throw us some shrimp and they generously threw us a couple dozen of their hard earn catch.
Moving on we circled around Island Alcatraz. We observed sea lions on their backs with their flippers up above the water warming their selves in the sun. We also observed Yellow-footed Gulls, Herman Gulls, Double Crested Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Frigate, Blue and Brown Boobies, Black Vulture, Osprey, and a Humming bird (species unknown). Once we landed we had a short tour of the island to view the nesting cormorants. It is a little early in the season so there were only a few dozen getting ready for their excited parenthood. The peak season for nesting cormorants is December and January. Another exciting fact is that Isla Alcatraz has the highest number of nesting cormorants, 1100 pairs. Cormorants are a very unique bird. For the consistency of their nesting numbers on the island, they seem not to be effected by El Nino and other natural causes. Isla Alcatraz also hosts another 10 species of nesting birds.
Prescott College wrote the environmental plan for this island which was a great success and accomplishment. This project took several dedicated students, instructors, biologist, and other outside resources. The project consisted of 3 phases:
Survey of the geography and flora and fauna. On this particular island you can find Cardones, salt bush, wolfberry, and pickle weed. It is an interesting island because is has several different environments such as, beaches, salts flats, mosaic of costal shrub, high elevation, sharp and gentle slopes. As you can imagine
if provides many niches for many different organisms.
Survey of human impacts and activity. Local fisherman use this island to come to shore to de-head their shrimp catch and also families would come to visit and primarily stay on the beach and not explore into the shrubs where the birds are nesting. In conclusion it didn’t seem that there weren’t any disturbances caused from human influences.
Educational component. This was started by the fellows (two Mexicans employed by Prescott College). They teach ecology at the local schools and bring the children out to the islands for field trips.
After all the research was done they submitted it to the national protection agency and it was accepted. Much more has gone into this project, more than I can explain. However if you do have any questions please feel free to ask.
After our lovely tour we me headed towards the main land to snorkel. Although snorkeling was unsuccessful, probably due to the aquaculture plant being near, we lunch on the beach where I was threatened by my gigantic bull sea lion (this would have been a good opportunity to see somebody run on water). There was also a beautiful osprey nest where I tried to poach some eggs, but unfortunately it wasn’t the season. (please note that was sarcasm). This concludes my day.
The course focuses a lot on the local fisheries, for there is a lot of controversy between them and outside fisherman that are primarily 30-40 meter shrimp trawlers. Our boat captain Cosme was born and raised in Kino Bay. He also has his own fishing boats and a crew. He was able to share valuable knowledge with us that you couldn’t find in a text book. As we were passing all the pangas, he was pointing out his friends, family, and he own personal pangas. The fishing community is very united in Kino. Everybody knows everybody. We pulled up to his brothers boat, and they seemed very excited and happy to talk to us. The translation for me is very difficult so I didn’t gather much of the conversation except for “Blue Shrimp”. Cosme asked them to throw us some shrimp and they generously threw us a couple dozen of their hard earn catch.
Moving on we circled around Island Alcatraz. We observed sea lions on their backs with their flippers up above the water warming their selves in the sun. We also observed Yellow-footed Gulls, Herman Gulls, Double Crested Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Frigate, Blue and Brown Boobies, Black Vulture, Osprey, and a Humming bird (species unknown). Once we landed we had a short tour of the island to view the nesting cormorants. It is a little early in the season so there were only a few dozen getting ready for their excited parenthood. The peak season for nesting cormorants is December and January. Another exciting fact is that Isla Alcatraz has the highest number of nesting cormorants, 1100 pairs. Cormorants are a very unique bird. For the consistency of their nesting numbers on the island, they seem not to be effected by El Nino and other natural causes. Isla Alcatraz also hosts another 10 species of nesting birds.
Prescott College wrote the environmental plan for this island which was a great success and accomplishment. This project took several dedicated students, instructors, biologist, and other outside resources. The project consisted of 3 phases:
Survey of the geography and flora and fauna. On this particular island you can find Cardones, salt bush, wolfberry, and pickle weed. It is an interesting island because is has several different environments such as, beaches, salts flats, mosaic of costal shrub, high elevation, sharp and gentle slopes. As you can imagine
if provides many niches for many different organisms.Survey of human impacts and activity. Local fisherman use this island to come to shore to de-head their shrimp catch and also families would come to visit and primarily stay on the beach and not explore into the shrubs where the birds are nesting. In conclusion it didn’t seem that there weren’t any disturbances caused from human influences.
Educational component. This was started by the fellows (two Mexicans employed by Prescott College). They teach ecology at the local schools and bring the children out to the islands for field trips.
After all the research was done they submitted it to the national protection agency and it was accepted. Much more has gone into this project, more than I can explain. However if you do have any questions please feel free to ask.
After our lovely tour we me headed towards the main land to snorkel. Although snorkeling was unsuccessful, probably due to the aquaculture plant being near, we lunch on the beach where I was threatened by my gigantic bull sea lion (this would have been a good opportunity to see somebody run on water). There was also a beautiful osprey nest where I tried to poach some eggs, but unfortunately it wasn’t the season. (please note that was sarcasm). This concludes my day.
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