Malpelo is one of the last remaining marine ecosystems on the planet where divers can still encounter a thousand sharks on a single dive. This is largely due to Colombia’s strict approach to illegal fishing in the sanctuary, which is protected by one of the world’s most severe penalties against illegal fishing. Due to a lack of resources, however, the Colombian government has been unable to conduct regular patrols of the sanctuary since 2013. Illegal fishing has since surged to the point where there are now dozens of vessels operating inside the reserve each month. Our Protect-Malpelo initiative seeks to re-establish the successful protection regime that makes Malpelo a beacon of hope in a world with collapsing marine ecosystems.