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Trailing a broken fishing line, a silky shark cruises the waters of Colombia’s Malpelo Island
 

Located 300 miles off the coast of Colombia, Malpelo Island is home to important populations of silky sharks, hammerheads, whale sharks, giant grouper and billfish. The island and its surrounding waters have been designated a Flora and Fauna Sanctuary since 1995, and in 2005, the marine reserve was significantly expanded to some 3,300 square miles, making it the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. For adventurous divers and underwater shooters, it is also considered one of the world’s top diving spots for big pelagics—on par with Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands.

Despite the island’s protected status, illegal fishing poses a constant threat, and patrolling and law enforcement remain vitally important. One woman who has been at the center of efforts to protect Malpelo is Erika López, a onetime dive guide who is now the Executive Director of Biodiversity Conservation Colombia (BCC), which works tirelessly to safeguard this unique ecosystem through surveillance, clean-ups, and educational initiatives.

López is at the heart of a new film by award-winning filmmaker and underwater photographer Annie Crawley, The Island of the Shark: Guardians of Malpelo, which premieres in Buenaventura, Colombia on October 29th, and then online on November 2nd. As well as capturing “harrowing encounters with illegal fishers,” the film shows the “powerful partnerships between conservationists and the Colombian Navy, and the deep emotional connection between humans and sharks in our ocean.”

Subscribe to Annie Crawley’s YouTube channel for the film premiere on November 2nd at 4pm PST (7pm EST) and to access the live Q&A with the people featured in the film (immediately after the premiere). Read more in the press release below.
 

PRESS RELEASE

“The Island of the Shark: Guardians of Malpelo” Global Film Premiere

BUENAVENTURA, COLOMBIA – October 27, 2025 – “The Island of the Shark: Guardians of Malpelo” will premiere in Colombia on October 29, 2025, in Buenaventura, Colombia, celebrating three decades of Malpelo’s protected status. Ocean Annie will join the celebration remotely—from aboard the Colombia Dive Adventures Ferox ecotourism vessel at Malpelo Island. Join us for the worldwide online premiere on November 2, 2025, connecting global audiences to the extraordinary work of a small group of heroes protecting Malpelo Island from illegal fishers. Subscribe to YouTube.com/AnnieCrawley or follow this link to watch the premiere.

Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia will host the official launch in Colombia of the documentary “The Island of the Shark: Guardians of Malpelo” directed by Annie Crawley. In collaboration with Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia and the Biodiversity Conservation Colombia foundation this showcases the struggle of protecting Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary and UNESCO World Heritage Site as leaders gather to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Visit www.IslandoftheShark.com for more information. Immediately following the release, the cast and crew of the film will do a live Q/A on YouTube and Facebook so stay on the channel after the premiere to participate and talk with the team.
 

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary is an important shark reserve

A Call to Protect Sharks Before It’s Too Late

At the heart of the film is Erika López, Executive Director of Biodiversity Conservation Colombia (BCC), whose extraordinary mission is to protect Colombia’s last stronghold for migratory sharks. López’s journey—from dive guide to fearless conservation leader—unfolds against the backdrop of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, one of the planet’s most biologically rich ecosystems.

Malpelo rises 4,000 meters from the ocean floor and hosts immense schools of hammerheads, silky sharks, whale sharks, and tuna. Yet despite its national park status, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing continues to threaten this fragile ecosystem.

“Erika López is more than a conservationist,” says director Annie Crawley. “She is the heartbeat of Malpelo. Her courage, clarity of vision, and unwavering dedication inspired me to make this film.”
 

Biodiversity Conservation Colombia (BCC) Executive Director Erika López (right) on patrol aboard the Silky catamaran

A Global Crisis: 200 Sharks Killed Every Minute

The release of “The Island of the Shark” comes at a crucial time. One-third of shark species now face extinction, and scientists estimate that more than 70% of oceanic sharks and rays have been fished from the ocean in the past 50 years. Every minute, more than 200 sharks are killed, the greatest threat they face is overfishing.

This film’s launch precedes CITES 2025, where global leaders will again focus on shark conservation. It aims to unite people across nations in a call to action—reminding viewers that ocean animals do not recognize borders and that protecting sharks protects entire marine ecosystems.
 

A dead silky shark with discarded long line fishing gear

A Visual Journey of Hope and Resolve

With breathtaking underwater cinematography and raw storytelling, “The Island of the Shark: Guardians of Malpelo” immerses audiences in one of Earth’s last wild sanctuaries. Crawley captures harrowing encounters with illegal fishing, powerful partnerships between conservationists and the Colombian Navy, and the deep emotional connection between humans and the ocean.

Beyond its beauty, the film is a rallying cry—urging nations, divers, and everyday citizens alike to defend sharks before it’s too late.

About the Filmmaker

Annie Crawley is an award-winning filmmaker, underwater photographer, and ocean educator based in Edmonds, Washington. Known globally as “Ocean Annie,” she has built a career telling stories that merge science, conservation, and human connection. Her initiatives—Our Ocean and You, Dive Into Your Imagination, and the Edmonds Underwater Park project—empower communities to protect the sea.

Crawley is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and a leading voice for ocean literacy and youth education.