In the Colombian Pacific, a lone catamaran named Silky patrols waters around the remote island of Malpelo — a refuge that is protected yet full of peril for endangered marine species.

Silky crew members look out for boats illegally fishing inside the reserve some 500 kilometers off mainland Colombia, one of the richest countries in terms of marine fauna.

The vast Pacific coastline of Colombia, which is due to host the United Nations biodiversity conference 2024 (COP16) starting Oct 21, is on a key migratory route for hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and other wildlife species, many of them endangered.

But the bountiful waters of the sanctuary attract vessels far and wide. The crew members of Silky shoo away intruder vessels and dive under the water to cut loose sharks caught in nets or on lines.

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On round-the-clock alert since 2018, the team said the tide is turning in the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, a mecca for divers and the largest no-fishing zone of its kind in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

"The success of the project can be seen in the fact that they (the illegal fishers) do not return," said Colombian diver Erika Lopez, 51, who created the foundation Biodiversity Conservation Colombia, which was born from what the activists view as a lack of official shark protection.

The crew of the Silky has rescued 508 animals since 2018, scared away 302 boats and confiscated more than 70,000 meters of fishing line, according to Lopez's foundation. It has not been spotting any major fishing boats near Malpelo island in the reserve of more than 850,000 hectares recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"We try as much as possible to take the equipment away from them, to free the species that are trapped, that's the main mission," said 53-year-old Dario Ortiz, an artisanal fisherman-turned-environmentalist, on the Silky.

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"We try as much as possible to take the equipment away from them, to free the species that are trapped, that's the main mission," said 53-year-old Dario Ortiz, an artisanal fisherman-turned-environmentalist, on the Silky.

Agencies via Xinhua