CONCERN FOR CORALS UNITES GMR STAKEHOLDERS
The "Corals of Galapagos" project team ran a workshop on "How to protect the remaining coral reefs in the northern Islands of Darwin, Wolf and Marchena", on Santa Cruz in January 2007. Marine experts, including scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station, representatives of Conservation International and the Galapagos National Park joined stakeholder groups, including Galapagos dive guides and fishers, to discuss the importance of the coral reefs of the marine reserve and a plan to create anchorages to reduce the impacts of fishing and tourism on these fragile reefs.
Marine Ecosystems Project Leader Stuart Banks said, "The workshop's goal is to provide information to groups with a decision-making role in the marine reserve participatory management system and encourage them to stay involved in the implementation of their own decisions - ultimately ensuring sustainable use of the resources and protection of the corals by the very people who benefit from a healthy ecosystem."
The Galapagos coral communities were heavily impacted by the strong El Niņo events of 1982-3 and 1997-8 resulting in an alarming reduction of more than 97% of the previously known coralline habitat.
Corals modify significantly the direction and speed of ocean currents as well as being highly productive habitats for many species. In Galapagos they are also focal points for various human activities within the marine reserve. Galapagos is a world-renowned diving spot and also relies on coral to provide habitat and protection for many valuable fishery species. CDF's research will monitor the state of the coral community around the anchorages, providing information about the composition, distribution and condition of corals and their associated communities.
Both the dive tourism and the fishing sectors showed great interest in participating in the installation of buoys in strategic sites near Darwin, Wolf and Marchena islands in the next months. These anchorages, which are specially designed to minimize environmental impact, avoid the damage caused by frequent use of anchors. This project has been possible thanks to financial support from the British Government's Darwin Initiative.
Hopefully, the enthusiasm and shared concern shown during the workshop will be another step towards guaranteeing a safe future for the unique marine ecosystems of Galapagos.
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