JULY 2022 - THE BEGINNING OF TOR AND OUR FIRST EXPEDITION

The idea of establishing the Twin Oceans Research Foundation (TOR) came about after several years of observing a massive amount of endangered Eastern Pacific Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks being slaughtered year after year during their migrating and spawning season off the Pacific Coast of the Republic of Panama. 

These sharks are migrating from the Galapagos Islands to the Republic of Panama where the females give birth to their pups near the mangrove areas in the Bay of Panama, Punta Chame, Farallon and up the coast to Chiriquí. From here they continue their journey to the Cocos Islands located in Costa Rica then back to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador to start again the route next year.

Too many large females are being caught by long liners and nets, but the most devastating part of all is the thousands of young juveniles being caught near the mangroves, killed, and sold for human consumption as a type of fish locally known as Cazón. It is mainly prepared as ceviche, in tacos and empanadas. 

As we proceeded to investigate in the local Panama fish markets, we discovered and established that the number of juveniles being caught was in the high figure of 4,000 to 6,000 young pups per day during the spawning season in addition to thousands of mature adult Scalloped Hammerhead sharks.

Since local authorities provide no protection, nor are there laws to protect or prohibit fishing of this species, we knew we had to come up with a plan to help protect the endangered Eastern Pacific Scalloped Hammerhead sharks.

Twin Oceans Research Foundation (TOR) was created as a Panamanian foundation. As we were searching for supporters, we were lucky to be approached by an outside interest who has given the foundation a grant which has allowed us to begin with the research required to make a change. 

TOR has now begun tagging and tracking adult Scalloped Hammerheads with the use of satellite and acoustic tags allowing us to track their movements, birthing areas and migrating patterns.

Our mission is to be able to collect enough information so that we can later present it to the local authorities.  This will allow us to provide detailed mapping data so that we can request “non fishing zones” during the spawning season and the restriction of gill nets near mangrove areas where the juveniles spend their first year of life. Our hardworking and dedicated TOR scientific team expects to attain positive results from the local authorities within a two-year period.

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