DIVING DEEP WITH PURPOSE
Supporting endangered sharks and the Megalodon Project with Delma’s Blue Shark III Azores
This summer we saw our latest partnership with our ambassador, ocean conservationist and photographer Magnus Lundborg come to life. Magnus alongside a team of scientists and photographers set out on the Megalodon shark tagging project, an initiative to understand and protect Blue Sharks among other majestic and endangered animals that live in the waters surrounding the Azores. In doing so, they discovered a thriving community of people, sharks and other sea life enamored by and dependent on the sea. Magnus was impressed by how strong the connection is between the locals and the ocean and told us:
“Wherever you go, you hear people talk about whales, sharks and fish. It’s a big part of their identity. So, to be a part of a project like this, in a place like the Azores, is truly an amazing experience.”
The team cultivated a strategic tagging system to allow observation of the sharks in their natural state at varying intervals. Specialized scientists free dove next to the sharks and affixed short-term, non-invasive tags around their necks with utmost care as not to scare them. In order for the recorded depths, speed and temperature to be accurate the sharks’ behavior must not be disturbed. They also attached long-term tags to enable analysis of the sharks’ migration patterns which can span across the ocean. While slightly more invasive, this research is especially crucial because blue sharks are the most heavily fished sharks in the world, with up to 30 million killed each year. The team hopes their pioneering endeavors will demonstrate the vital role these sharks play in the ecosystem and help reduce the damaging effects of overfishing.
Delma’s new Blue Shark III Azores supports the project’s mission to protect and preserve the sharks’ lives and habitat and their design emulates their environment. Bright blue fading to deep navy and rich turquoise which graduates to vibrant green are reminiscent of the North Atlantic at varying depths. The Azores models possess exceptional resilience and can sustain depths of up to 4,000 meters. With over 15 animals already tagged, the project’s progress and the diverse migration routes of these endangered sharks, rays and whales can be followed and witnessed on live satellite maps. The purchase of each Blue Shark III Azores will directly contribute to the Megalodon Project and ocean conservation efforts.
Delma is proud to support this mission and to have this inspired new edition of our signature Blue Shark series with heightened meaning in our collection. We are eagerly following the sharks’ routes and look forward to witnessing the positive impact this exciting project will have on the local community and sea creatures near and far.