The 90-Second Dive That Reveals the Life Just Beneath

Article By: Holly Binns
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The 90-Second Dive That Reveals the Life Just Beneath

In a single breath, Paul Dabill can dive beneath the waves, sneak up on ocean animals, and snap captivating images of underwater life.

© Paul Dabill

Underwater photographer Paul Dabill closes in on snook and spadefish in hopes of capturing the moment on his camera.

A self-taught nature photographer and trained free diver, Dabill catalogues the interplay between predators and prey that is critical to healthy oceans.  Through his work, the South Florida resident is adding his voice to efforts by scientists, fishermen, and conservationists who are working to protect prey species such as mullet and sardines from surging human demand.  These small fish, known as forage fish, are a vital food source for animals ranging from whales to king mackerel, but they are increasingly being caught for use as feed for fish farms and livestock and as ingredients in consumer products such as cosmetics, pet food, and fertilizers.

The Pew Charitable Trusts and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) are presenting an online slideshow of Dabill’s work.  Shot off the coast of South Florida, the photos capture schools of mullet fleeing predators, under attack by tarpon, and traveling in giant bait balls. The slideshow and accompanying text explain the important role of prey species, the threats they face, and what can be done to conserve them. 

“If my photographs spark interest and educate people, then I think they will come to value the oceans even more,” said Dabill, 40, who lives near Palm Beach. “I think the underwater world is beautiful and stunning. To capture a moment, relive it, and share it with others is a process that I find very satisfying and will hopefully make a difference.”  

Pew, IGFA, and other groups believe that making a difference for forage fish means protecting their habitats and setting fishing rules that keep sufficient numbers and types of forage species in the water to meet the dietary needs of important recreational and commercial fish.

Forage fish haven’t traditionally been high-profile marine animals; many people don’t even know what they are. But Dabill’s photography offers a glimpse into the important role these fish play in ocean food webs.

© Paul Dabill

Florida nature photographer Paul Dabill prepares to head underwater, where he spends hours capturing images of marine animals.

As a free diver, Dabill typically holds his breath for 90 seconds at a time while positioning himself to get the best photo angles. Although he can hold his breath for five minutes underwater while staying still, the shorter duration allows him to continue to dive for hours without getting tired. Dabill says free diving lets him get closer to wildlife than some other underwater photographers are able to do, because he can move faster without scuba equipment and the animals aren’t driven away by air tank bubbles.  

Dabill uses a Sony NEX-5R mirrorless camera with Nauticam underwater housing. He shoots most of his photos off the southeastern Florida coast in shallow water to make use of natural light. Years of fishing experience have given him a good feel for where to find marine life. His over-and-under photos—in which half of the picture is taken underwater and half is above the water—help him to communicate how humans are linked with a marine environment that is close to land but often out of sight.    

Dabill’s passion for photography is a recent development in a life that has led him from his native Minnesota to the sea. He earned degrees in electrical engineering and business administration and worked as a computer engineer in California. He moved to Florida in 2002 to open several restaurants with his brother.  

Once settled in, Dabill took up offshore fishing and about eight years ago grew more curious about what was happening under the surface. He started spearfishing and took a course in free diving to learn how to stay underwater longer and dive deeper. Once he saw marine life from a different perspective, he wanted to share with others the treasures he discovered. He took up photography and posts his pictures on his Facebook page, Paul Dabill Photography. His images have appeared in fishing magazines such as Florida Sportsman and Florida Sport Fishing.

Dabill hopes the photos will help people appreciate what lies beneath what they see at the ocean’s surface. “I want people to realize that we still have this wealth of nature and our job now is to protect it for future generations,” he said.

If you would like to add your voice to calls for forage fish conservation, you can sign a pledge by visiting FloridaForageFish.org.

These mullet, one of many species of baitfish—also known as forage fish— migrating along Florida’s east coast, fill the sea with food for predators ranging from pelicans to whales and tarpon. Yet growing global demand for forage species threatens their critical role in ocean food webs.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
A school of forage fish, including cigar minnows, darts under the shadow of a dock, possibly to avoid detection by predators. In addition to being essential food for marine life, forage fish also are in high demand as feed for fish farms and livestock and for use in consumer products such as cosmetics, pet food, and fertilizers.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
A swing and a miss for this tarpon. The mullet rely on safety in numbers, evasive maneuvers, and “swamping,” or overwhelming the predator’s ability to identify and attack a single individual. Fish that prey on forage species typically catch food just once in every 10 tries. Conversely, schooling forage fish are easy targets for nets, which makes them vulnerable to overfishing.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
One throw of a cast net captured these three species of forage fish. Clockwise from the top are two Cuban anchovies, or glass minnows; three scaled sardines, sometimes called pilchards; and two spotfin mojarras. Forage species accounted for nearly 20 percent of all commercial catch off Florida in 2012, and few rules directly limit the amount that can be taken each year.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
A common snook swims beside jetty rocks as forage fish, including pilchards, feed on sun-nurtured microscopic plants. These small fish, rich sources of omega-3 fatty-acids and proteins, essentially transfer the sun’s energy into a form that predators can use to grow and reproduce. According to a 2012 study, baitfish are twice as valuable when left in the water as when caught commercially.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
In the receding tide, shallows begin to disappear, making forage fish more accessible to predators, including coastal wading birds, such as herons and egrets, and even raccoons, which set up staging areas to ambush the fish. A decline in forage species could spell disaster for Florida’s beleaguered coastal bird populations, according to a 2013 report by Audubon Florida and Pew.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
Overhead structure and shade can protect forage fish from birds, but leave them vulnerable to ambush by predators lurking in the shadows. Small schooling fish are also susceptible to pollution from increasing coastal development and other sources as well as changing ocean conditions, such as more acidic and warmer waters.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
Mullet school in tight patterns, drafting one another like geese in a “V” formation, which helps them swim more easily. A flick of the tail sends a vortex of water into a counter-clockwise rotation, creating momentum for the next fish. Forage fish inhabit mangroves, sea grasses, estuaries, rivers, and bays, so it is critical to protect water quantity and quality.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
An unseen predator probably drove the Crevalle Jacks in the right foreground to join this bait ball of mullet. Many gatherings of fish are based not on species but size, so that no fish stands out to hungry predators. A group of spawning snook (lower left) lies below the bait ball. Because of its abundance, Florida is known as the “Fishing Capital of the World.”
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
A tarpon swims by a school of mullet. Tarpon and other popular species like grouper and king mackerel depend on forage fish for food. That’s why anglers and conservationists have come together to ask the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to protect a sufficient abundance and variety of forage species and account for the dietary needs of important popular recreational and commercial fish species when setting fishing rules.
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill
Mullet school by a public jetty where a fisherman hauls them in with a cast net. Forage fish are the backbone of Florida’s multibillion-dollar-a-year fishing industry. If they are protected today, these species will help sustain the healthy ocean ecosystems that will provide recreation, jobs, and seafood for future generations. Visit Pewtrusts.org/ProtectThePrey to keep informed and sign a pledge in support of conservation at FloridaForageFish.org
Paul Dabill Paul Dabill