WEBVTT 00:00:07.184 --> 00:00:15.184 We are exploring the deep waters in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on the Okeanos Explorer... 00:00:15.244 --> 00:00:21.990 as part of the Atlantic Seafloor Partnership for Integrated Research and Exploration, also known as the ASPIRE campaign. 00:00:25.490 --> 00:00:31.208 The deep-sea habitats around Puerto Rico are one of the most unexplored habitats. 00:00:34.268 --> 00:00:40.520 Any exploration that is carried out in these waters is really baseline information that will be useful  00:00:40.580 --> 00:00:47.316 for further explorations and for possible management strategies for the island. 00:00:49.518 --> 00:01:03.495 Management is protecting and conserving an ecosystem or it can be a fish species, in order to restore or sustain that ecosystem or fish population. 00:01:06.549 --> 00:01:13.609 When managing an area, you hope that if it's effectively managed, that you increase the diversity of that area. 00:01:16.193 --> 00:01:24.461 So today we're diving to the northeast of Mona Island, which is a small little island sandwiched between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. 00:01:25.011 --> 00:01:26.830 This is a marine protected area. 00:01:30.924 --> 00:01:35.877 The main marine resources being managed in Puerto Rico are mainly the fisheries. 00:01:36.626 --> 00:01:40.635 These are the finfish, like snappers and groupers. Also, lobsters and conch. 00:01:42.536 --> 00:01:46.861 Fisheries could be managed through closures or through annual catches. 00:01:48.792 --> 00:01:58.823 However, right now, deep-sea habitats are really not included, but now through the Okeanos Explorer and what we're seeing through this expedition 00:01:58.883 --> 00:02:05.662 is that many of these commercially important fishes are using these deep-sea habitats as homes. 00:02:07.864 --> 00:02:13.430 This is a great picture of a queen snapper. This is a new record depth for this species of fish. 00:02:14.417 --> 00:02:21.025 It was only thought to go to about 450 meters, and we just saw it at 539. 00:02:23.635 --> 00:02:29.746 We hope that these deep-sea habitats will also be included in management and protection. 00:02:31.195 --> 00:02:33.430 Do you fish this area, Ricardo? 00:02:34.637 --> 00:02:41.403 This is Ricardo Luego, he's a fisherman from the west coast of Puerto Rico, from the Bocaron Fishing Association. 00:02:42.282 --> 00:02:44.568 What do you usually target when you're fishing? 00:02:45.392 --> 00:02:53.567 Snappers, that's what I do. You got the grouper, but right now it's closed. It's closed six months a year. 00:02:55.496 --> 00:03:03.384 There definitely needs to be a balance between protection and sustenance and survivorship of many of these fishermen 00:03:03.956 --> 00:03:10.693 because these fishermen do live off of these marine resources and you cannot take that all away.  00:03:10.753 --> 00:03:17.938 You have to be able to manage protection with these fishermen surviving and their livelihoods. 00:03:22.672 --> 00:03:34.489 So in addition to assessing biological diversity, Okeanos Explorer is also exploring some possible geohazards around the island. 00:03:36.488 --> 00:03:47.943 In this region, there was a landslide that possibly could have caused the earthquake and tsunami of 1918, along the west and north coast of Puerto Rico. 00:03:48.819 --> 00:03:52.316 People lost their lives due to the earthquake and also to the tsunami. 00:03:55.796 --> 00:04:05.720 This expedition helps create awareness of geohazards. We can monitor these geohazards for future reference. 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:16.046 There is definitely a strong connection between the people and the sea in Puerto Rico. 00:04:17.901 --> 00:04:26.199 So what's great about these expeditions is the live streaming, because this helps the local people relate to the ocean on a real personal level 00:04:26.259 --> 00:04:35.443 and now see that there are fish and there are corals and there are sponges that live really deep in the waters of Puerto Rico. 00:04:37.062 --> 00:04:42.893 Building awareness is probably the first step in creating really effective management. 00:04:47.924 --> 00:04:51.720 Puerto Ricans are very proud of their country and culture. 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:56.978 We need to protect and conserve the marine resources of Puerto Rico.