I'd like to share some highlight from my recent trip to the Azores. This year I did not have much luck with my health and the weather. Paranasal and frontal sinuses been blocked and I had no chance to enjoy the pre booked boot trips as I would have loved to. And additionally the weather was not the best for that that time of the year.
We did two trips for seeing the Mobula's and two for the Blue shark's / Mako's
1. Mobula = 3 Mobulas 2. Mobula = 41 Mobula's and a small Whale shark 1. Blue shark = 2 Blue, one around the boat for over 3h! 2. Blue shark = stayed nearly 8h on the boat and not even one.
This year is by fare the worst year the local operators saying. 3 Mobulas on one trip is one of the lowest rates they ever had for a very long time and the dropping number of sharks... For sure we all know why the number of sharks is decreasing. If not, there are plenty of papers and articles to find online. Just one which is related to the Azores and which will help to find the right busswords to dig deeper into this wil be this one. http://www.sharkproject.org/ But after hearing different opinions from local fisherman, I guess it could be a mixture of some more factors, all coming together
1. El Niño / North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)
We know 2015 could be one or the worst El Niño's as recorded till now. And we also know that El Nino can effect NAO.
Water temperature is warmer around the Azores as normal the locals say.
Fisherman say sad this year is a low for Tuna fishing. Especially The Number of Bluefin Tuna catches around the Islands was very low this year.
2. Shark Fishing
We know the portuguese fisherman are catching more sharks then ever.
3. Birth cycle of Blue sharks?
I heard a couple of story from spearfisher's that they encountered many baby/juvenile Blue Sharks around the Islands this year