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CIMASUB 2025

net948 Pamplona — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 09:12:09 +0000

Best Ecological Advocacy Photograph Award at CIMASUB 2025: An Injured Blue Shark in the Cantabrian Sea

At the 49th edition of CIMASUB – the Donostia International Underwater Film Festival, we had the honor of receiving the Best Ecological Advocacy Photograph Award.
A recognition that, rather than celebrating an image, highlights a problem that continues to grow beneath the surface: the impact of human activity on marine wildlife in the Cantabrian Sea.

The award-winning photograph depicts a blue shark (Prionace glauca), elegant and calm even in its fragility, accompanied by six pilot fish that escort it with the natural rhythm of an ancient biological ritual. But the scene breaks at one point: a fishing line tangled around its head, embedded in the skin and opening a deep wound that should not be there. A direct, raw mark of the damage we cause—even when we do not see it.

The Cantabrian Sea is alive and powerful, but also vulnerable. The blue sharks that cross it every summer are regular visitors, an essential part of the ecosystem’s balance. Yet they increasingly encounter an ocean that does not always let them pass. Lost nets, abandoned lines, remnants of recreational or sport fishing… small human decisions that end up becoming silent traps.

This photograph does more than document a moment—it exposes a daily reality for the creatures that inhabit our seas and oceans, a wound that often goes unnoticed because we are not there to witness it day after day. The beauty of the animal contrasts sharply with the violence of the object that injures it, and it is within that contradiction that the image finds its strength. It is not comfortable to look at. Nor should it be. If we continue to talk about conservation only from a distance, nothing will change.

That CIMASUB has awarded this photograph sends a clear message: the message matters, and the ocean needs us to be more direct, more transparent, and above all, more responsible. We hope this image helps spark uncomfortable conversations, raise awareness, and remind us that marine wildlife in the Cantabrian Sea does not need heroes—it needs us to stop harming it.

We thank the festival jury and the CIMASUB organization for creating a space where underwater photography and video do more than celebrate the beauty of the ocean—they also expose its wounds.
And above all, we thank the blue shark itself.

It did the hard part: it kept moving forward, even with a line embedded in its head. The least we can do is look the wound straight in the eye and ask ourselves what we are willing to change.

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New book “Sharks”

net948 Pamplona — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 09:05:40 +0000

“Sharks”: an essential book to understand and protect the great travelers of the ocean

Some books arrive to fill a gap: to organize scientific knowledge, to bring misunderstood species closer to the general public, and to offer an honest perspective on the conservation status of sharks worldwide.

Sharks, the new work by Claudio Barría Oyarzo and Ana Colmenero Ginés, does exactly that. A rigorous, accessible, and beautifully illustrated book that has already become a reference for those of us who work with and coexist alongside these animals in their natural environment.

At MAKO PAKO, we have had the privilege of contributing several original photographs captured during our snorkeling expeditions and documentation work in the Cantabrian Sea. Being able to visually contribute to a work of this magnitude is not only an honor, but also a recognition of the constant effort to portray these animals as they truly are: wild, elegant, and essential to the health of the ocean.

Sharks stands out for its balance. The book successfully combines science, outreach, and emotion, clearly explaining the biology and ecology of different species, detailing their role in marine ecosystems, and providing up-to-date information on threats, conservation, and their global status.

Our Contribution from the Cantabrian Sea

Taking part in Sharks through our photographs means much more than seeing our work in print—it represents a bridge between scientific research and real-world experience in open waters.
The images include moments captured alongside blue sharks (Prionace glauca) and shortfin mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) in the waters of the Basque coast, the result of hundreds of hours of responsible observation, documentation, and fieldwork. In addition, the book features photographs of several other shark species taken by Isaías Cruz during expeditions to different parts of the world to observe and document these animals.
These photographs were not created “for the camera,” but to tell the truth about the ocean—its beauty, its fragility, and the enormous ecological importance of large pelagic species.
Whether you are passionate about sharks, the sea, or simply want to better understand a group of animals essential to the balance of our planet, this book is a must-read.
It is clear, in-depth, visual, and above all, honest.

Being part of Sharks is both a source of pride and motivation. We celebrate the work of Claudio Barría Oyarzo and Ana Colmenero Ginés on such a necessary publication and thank them for the trust they placed in our photographic work. We will continue documenting, sharing, and defending sharks.
The ocean deserves it.

BUY IT HERE

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Over 1.000 Sharks Recorded

net948 Pamplona — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:53:36 +0000

A Milestone for MAKO PAKO: Over 1,000 Sharks Recorded in the Cantabrian Sea

Several years ago, we began an adventure: to show and share the Cantabrian Sea.
Far from being just a cold, green sea, we started revealing to the public a blue ocean inhabited by unexpected and largely unknown residents—blue sharks. Our goal was clear: to bring these remarkable animals closer to people.
Today, after adding together the sightings from the season we have just closed (2025), we have reached a milestone that goes far beyond numbers:

More than 1,000 sharks sighted and recorded over the last six years.

From day one, we committed to documenting every single encounter. Over the years, this objective evolved, became more refined, and steadily grew. Today, it represents the most consistent database of blue shark (Prionace glauca) sightings—and occasional shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) records—ever obtained along the Basque coast.

More Than Sightings: Contributing to Protection

The most important thing is that these 1,000 sharks are not just a number.
They are data that help us understand this local population. They show that the Cantabrian Sea is a true hotspot for this species. They provide solid arguments for more research and stronger conservation measures. And they demonstrate that responsible tourism can be a powerful scientific tool.

These data are already being used in scientific initiatives such as the ISRA designation of Bermeo, seasonal behavior studies, long-term observations of reproductive patterns, and preliminary models of pelagic habitat use. So yes—well-designed, responsible tourism does generate science. This achievement is the result of hard work, of your trust in joining our expeditions, and of the collaboration with scientific teams who have worked alongside us. Step by step, together, we have made this possible.

And we continue—because the Cantabrian Sea still has many stories to tell.

La entrada Over 1.000 Sharks Recorded se publicó primero en MakoPako.