(RAP / 13-07-10)  To mark the centenary of the birth of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Cousteau Society and National Geographic Society have joined to revisit the ecosystems he recorded in 1940. “These Cousteau's videos are the oldest visual reference of the Mediterranean,” says the explorer Enric Sala, leader of an expedition in which Pierre-Yves Cousteau participates, the oceanographer’s youngest son.

The comparison between these first images of the seabed and the recordings that the expedition is making since they sailed from Marseilles on June 4 is overwhelming: the Mediterranean has lost between 80 and 90% of their biomass, explains Sala.

To Sala, “Cousteau's videos are the oldest visual reference of the Mediterranean.” Although we do not have a quantitative study of the marine richness of that time, the legendary diver would have missed much of the species that lived in the seabed, admits Pierre-Yves Cousteau. The Spanish explorer say some examples: 99% of sharks have disappeared, there are only 5,000 monk seals and red coral does not grow in the first 260 feet depth.

This change, of “dramatic proportions,” materialized in the first and “depressing” dive in Marseille to Sala. Of the seabed the oceanographer recorded in 1940 only remains a memory.

According to Cousteau the main reason for the decline of marine life in that paradigmatic port is “uncontrolled fishing and industrial waters.” “In 1977 there was nothing,” he says. The centenary of the birth of the sea commander is the perfect excuse to draw attention to the deterioration of the sea. The result of the adventure will appear in a documentary that will be released in 2011.

The small dining room of the Alcyone is dominated by a tiny but iconic photo of the French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. Just next to it, two huge engines wrapped in hung sheets dominate the engine room. “This is one of the peculiarities of the ship: that it has the engine in the bow and not in the stern,” explains one of the crew members of the expedition.

But it is not the only one. The Alcyone, named after Eolo’s son, is symbol o fan adventure to rediscover the Mediterranean seabed. The same one that Jacques Cousteau showed to the world in the 40’s.

Although only 0.01% of the Mediterranean is protected, these areas show that “there are clear solutions in which everyone wins.” About this, Sala argues that fishing near the reserves is growing thanks to the repopulation of the area and it is of great benefit to the population. The example is in the Medes Islands, located in front of the coast of Girona, which produce six million euros a year on eco-friendly tourism.

Besides the Catalan archipelago, the expedition has visited the reserves in Scandola (Corsica), S'Espardell (Formentera) and Cabrera (Majorca). They are the kind part of adventure. The explorer goes further and translates these pockets of life into hope for the oceans around the world: “If the Mediterranean can recover, which is the most overfished sea in the world, the other can too.”

Docked in the port of Barcelona a few hours before continuing its way, the Alcyone is distinguish itself from other ships on its two huge chimneys. Although it is already 25 years old and was part of the fleet of Jacques Cousteau, “it uses a revolutionary model of turbovela” says Cousteau, “which saves 30% of energy in navigation.” “The commander's ideas were pioneering ideas,” he says proudly, referring to his father.