Thiago Cardozo

I am a Biology student at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in southern Brazil and a member of the Laboratory of Underwater Study Methods and Cephalopods (LaMeCe), where I conduct research. Additionally, I am part of the Cephalopoda Project, where I engage in scientific communication. My research focuses on marine invertebrates and litter, utilizing scientific freediving methods to better understand how species, including the pygmy octopus Paroctopus cthulu, interact with debris.
I am also a certified Scuba diver (Open Water PADI) and aspire to pursue a professional career in this field. Furthermore, I contribute to a project called “Ilha de Plástico” (Plastic Island), which involves a didactic collection of marine debris found in protected areas, used as an educational tool to raise awareness about this issue. I have experience in Ecology, Zoology, and scientific communication.

LOCATION:	Callao	AREA OF STUDY:	Octopus
NATIONALITY:	Brazil	SPONSOR:
FILMMAKER:	Veronica Lanza

START DATE:	24th March
END DATE:	7th April
LOCATION:	Callao
END POINT:	Brazil

AREA OF STUDY:	Octopus
SPONSOR:
FILMMAKER:	Veronica Lanza

Area of Study: Octopus

In Ancón Bay, located on the coast of the Peruvian Pacific Ocean, a group of divers is dedicated to extracting benthic species, including octopus, snails, crabs, and fish. This group of fishermen dives into the depths of the sea and selects resources that are not in reproductive stage or smaller than the permitted sizes, ensuring fishing sustainability for the future. We interviewed many local fishermen and traders to inquire about this fishing dynamic and how it operates.

The aim of this project is to understand the practices and resources extracted by this group of fishermen and to demonstrate, through the resource monitoring data and fishermen testimonials, the responsible fishing practices carried out in the community, promoting sustainability and conservation efforts.

Also, we tried to understand the risks and the techniques used by them, the air compressor dive (also known as hookah dive), a practice that is very harmful but is already traditional in this community.