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Thursday, December 28, 2000
Galapagos Action Update - A Year-End Report
By Tui De Roy
Christmas has come and gone and the New Year is just 'round the bend. It's that time of year when we are reminded to be kinder, to think more positively and to care for each other and hopefully for the Planet too. And of course for those of us who think Galpagos represents (and should remain) the flagship of world conservationthe all-time icon of how we can look after this Planetthe state of affairs as we celebrated our first Christmas of the new millennium fills us with feelings of uncertainty and foreboding.
In the last six weeks since the latest round of anti-conservation violence erupted in Galpagos, I have kept up with every shred of news broadcast about the situation, including press releases from the fishing representatives, statements issued by any number of local groups (civic committees, social clubs, education groups, conservationists, etc.), private e-mails from a large segment of Galpagos society, campaigns by the tourism industry, Ecuadorian and international press reports, plus by making regular telephone calls to Galpagoslong conversations with trusted friends both within and outside of conservation circles.
Until the 1st of December I was sending out regular updates compiled and condensed from all of the above information (much of it in Spanish) in an attempt to keep you all informed of the situation. The reason for my long silence since then is that the situation has evolved from highly volatile to deeply ominous, with the short term exploitative forces going from strength to strength in their battle to sweep aside the last forty years of management strategies and conservation laws. Meanwhile the conservationists each day appear to find themselves increasingly gagged and retrenched. Now it is time to take stock once again.
Current State of Affairs
Over the last two months there has been a tremendous response to calls for action (launched by WWF, IGTOA and others) in the form of letters written to the government of Ecuador pleading for strong intervention to restore law and order. This show of support from the international community was most heartening, and the powerful statements which the president of Ecuador offered in response, promising tough action in support of conservation, was delightful news indeed. However, the fishermen seemed to have been better informed than the conservationists about the outcome to be expected, as they did not become alarmed at the president's message, and indeed nothing tangible has so far has come of it. The fishing leaders continue to issue progressively more stringent demands, punctuated by threats of further strikes, and efforts are being focused on reinstating constructive dialogue with the fishing sector rather than bringing the law to bear on their illegal and violent actions. The fishermen rejected the new lobster quota of 30 additional tons (over the original 50 tons) and continued to fish while hampering the monitoring of their catches. They have also stated they are not interested in discussions with ministerial representatives and the Management Authority for the Marine Reserve, but want their demands attended to by none other than the president himself. Every inch of the way the entire fishing lobby is testing the bounds of their might and finding little or no resistance, even though the National Park continues with its valiant efforts to thwart illegal activities. The audacity of the fishing industry escalates with every new day, including increasing numbers (rumor has it more than 20) of industrial seiners from the mainland fleet (illegal in Galpagos waters under present law) turning up within only a few miles of inhabited ports. Some have been captured but the legal process remains hopelessly weak, and fines rarely outweigh the rewards of illegal fishing.
Sampling of the Fishermen's Demands
from statements and press releases made by Raul Salazar, fishing leader, and Alfonso Lozado, manager of the Copespromar fishing cooperative, both of San Cristbal Island
- Rescind the Special Law for Galpagos [and all conservation management rules within it] before the Constitutional Tribunal. The fishermen claim the Law infringes upon our constitutional right to work.
- The National Park director, Eliecer Cruz, must be fired.
- The injunctions presented by the Environmental Minister against several leaders and fishermen must be retracted.
- The resolution of the National Park which prohibits the use of long-line fishing techniques in the Galpagos Marine Reserve must be rescinded.
- Establish a direct dialog with the president of Ecuador. The fishermen have accused the Minister of the Environment as lying and failing to respond to fishermen's demands.
- Allocate development funds to the fishing sector to expand their activities.
- Audit the National Park and various other conservation NGOs working for Galpagos.
Such groups are accused of misuse of funds and damaging the environment. According to the fishermen, They have not done anything apart from pursuing the fishing sector which they accuse of causing damage to the islands. The tourism industry also was lambasted as leaving garbage and destroying anchorages. Such claims are gaining political favor yet have no foundation whatsoever, beyond naive attempts at keeping accusatory scores even.
SUMMARY OF DECEMBER EVENTS
December 4
A general meeting was organized in Quito, bringing together representatives from a large number of conservation NGOs, educational and other institutions, tourism, civic groups, science and National Parks, to discuss ways of safeguarding Galpagos. Among the goals established at this meeting the attendants resolved to seek ways of upgrading the legal system in Galpagos, and coordinating efforts between all parties.
December 21
A press release announced the president of Ecuador had accepted the resignation of his Minster of the Environment, Rodolfo Rendon, but no reasons for the resignation were offered, so there are no hints as to what this development might bring. Two of the leaders of the November violence remain behind bars, but the legal proceedings or sluggish or stalled, while 15 other identified ringleaders remain at large.
December 27
The New York Times ran a detailed report of the situation to date.
CONCLUSION
A highly organized fishing industryof which the local fishermen represent only the visible armhas developed a well orchestrated campaign to discredit and destroy any and all efforts to preserve the resources of Galpagos for future generations. Whether these resources be regarded as marketable seafood or as a cultural gem makes no difference to the outcome, as these interestsdriven by commercial expediency and not by local people with children and grandchildren to think aboutwant to extract every last dollar now. This is not a case of poor foresight or lack of education, but something far more destructive called international market forces. These are visibly backed by legal, political and financial powers representing the interests of the industrial fishing fleets from the coast of mainland Ecuador as well as the export markets serving the Asian seafood consumer countries.
Tourism, especially practiced under the strictest rules pioneered in Galpagos since the 1970s, has been hailed as the primary sustainable industry capable of surviving long term in harmony with conservation and already proven as representing a major source of inexhaustible foreign cash for Ecuador. But it deepest weakness is that it requires a peaceful environment to flourish, something which is giving the exploitation activists complete control, as we have seen in the last few weeks. Six weeks after the violence of November, the fishermen and the blind financial greed that is urging them forward, hold all the cards more firmly than ever, with the larger illegal fishing vessels from outside Galpagos moving ever more boldly into Galpagos waters.
In spite of intense personal attack, the director of the Galpagos National Park, Galpagos-born Eleicer Cruz, and his dedicated staff, continue fighting back with unwavering determination, refusing to give in even when their counterparts in the judicial system fail to lend their support to the legal process. Thus, the battle is far from over, except that it is increasingly being played out at higher levels of administration and authority. Although the outcome remains unresolved, and little news was forthcoming during the festive month of December, I am told much is happening and news is to be expected in the early part January. I hope to circulate further concrete information within the next two weeks. Meanwhile, below is a message written by Christie Gallardo, a local shop owner in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, depicting the local scene as the year draws to a close.
