GALAPAGOS NEWS FROM IGTOA
New hope for Galapagos National Park Service
Some new developments give reason to hope that the Galapagos National Park Service can regain its former strength and effectiveness.
Notably, after thirty months of constant turnover in Park Directors, the Minister of Environment, Ana Albán, has announced Raquel Molina as the new Park Director, the first woman to hold this position. Sra. Molina, who is a biologist by profession, said in an interview that her appointment was the result of a transparent process. She stated that she will be guided by principles, not political or economic influence, and will strive to uphold the law. One of her first activities will be to make a study of the carrying capacity of the protected areas of the Park.
We hope that the new Director will get the support she needs. Previous Park Directors have not stayed long enough to be effective. The average tenure of the past twelve Directors has been less than three months.
An encouraging sign is that the Inter-American Development Bank has pledged $150,000 to strengthen the Park. Sra. Molina acknowledges that the number of Park personnel is insufficient. Many staff positions have been cut, to the point that patrol of the Marine Reserve has become ineffective.
Additional hope has been given by the Minister of Environment, Ana Albán, who stated concern about unchecked migration. She recently announced that 5,000 illegal settlers will be removed from Galapagos. "We are working on a process to identify the illegal residents and bring them back to the mainland," she said.
..Top
Sport Fishing Update
IGTOA has been involved in an effort to stop illegal sport fishing in Galapagos. There have been new developments, some of them encouraging.
IGTOA arranged a meeting in April between the Galapagos Park Director, several NGO's, and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). After the meeting, a joint statement was drafted in which IGFA affirmed that it does not promote sport fishing in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, does not sanction any of its members to promote sport fishing, and agreed to inform its members that sport fishing is illegal. IGFA's concern for protection of the Galapagos Marine Reserve and the integrity of the law is very welcome.
Meanwhile, the Tenth Annual Father & Son Billfish Classic Tournament is scheduled for this June in Galapagos and as of this writing is still advertised on the Internet by a Miami- based company that promotes Galapagos sport fishing.
Those conducting illegal sport fishing are defiant and determined. Confronting them usually results in the threat of a lawsuit, or even worse, as the Galapagos National Park Service has recently found out.
A lawsuit has been filed against a Galapagos National Park Ranger on behalf of a group on the sport fishing boat, Albermar. Jaime Morales, the pilot of a small Park aircraft, flew over the boat while it was fishing with clients. The suit claims that he put the lives of all on board at serious risk by flying low over the boat. Morales states, "I know the rules and never would risk my life nor others." His report indicates that the boat was clearly sport fishing within the Marine Reserve.
In an interview Park Director Raquel Molina stated, "The group, which included a naval officer, were sport fishing and threatened to take away the Park pilot's license and kill the warden in charge of the flight. This does not intimidate us."
She promised to use the Park's full legal resources to defend the pilot and has pledged to rigorously enforce the law and impose penalties on those who break it. A meeting was held between the Park and the Merchant Marine (Digmer) to coordinate their activities.
Public reaction against illegal sport fishing has increased, and hopefully the momentum will continue to build. An Ecuadorian Commission for the Control of Civic Corruption has just published a report. And Álex Olaya, President of the Union of Fishing Cooperatives of Galápagos, has requested Digmer to prohibit boats from sport fishing in the Reserve and to prohibit these boats from anchoring in the harbors.
..Top
|
