Ecuador declared the world-famous Galapagos Islands at risk today and warned
that visitor permits and flights to the islands could be suspended.
The government also said it will enforce rigorous population restrictions to
prevent further environmental harm to the islands.
“We are pushing for a series of actions to overcome the huge institutional,
environmental and social crisis in the islands,” President Rafael Correa
said after signing an emergency decree to help the archipelago.
Mr Correa did not provide any details about the possible restrictions, but
said the country would consider suspending some tourism permits. He today
ordered his government ministers to meet within 15 days to come up with
proposals.
Currently the Galapagos islands receive 100,000 visitors a year, many of whom
come to visit the world-famous giant tortoises.Five of the 13 islands are
inhabited and all but three per cent of the islands are a national park.
A growing population, illegal fishing of sharks and sea cucumbers, and
internal bickering at the national park have taken a toll, while the number
of cruise ships has grown and even a hotel opened last year. Three years ago
plans were also put forward for a monorail system around the islands.
“The government needs to be stricter on what is allowed there as pressure on
Galapagos grows,” said Martin Wikelski, a biologist at Princeton University.
“It is one of the world’s most unique ecosystems... and continues to be one
of the most important laboratories for evolution studies.”
The Ecuadorian ground agent for Journey
Latin America, the biggest British tour operator to the continent, said:
"It's good news for the National Park. Technically, the state of emergency,
will give the Galápagos Province and the National Park within (97% of the
land surface), first priority to solve important issues.
"The state of emergency will help reassign resources for conservation and
by-pass bureaucratic stages allowing decisions to by promptly put into
effect.
"No possible restrictions for the operation of tourism to Galapagos have been
mentioned – with the exception of the suspension of new tourism permits -
and it is understood that actions will be taken on other aspects affecting
the archipelago, such as enforcing migration restrictions, illegal fishing,
the introduction of invasive species and internal conflicts among local
authorities."
The volcanic islands, located 625 miles (1,000 km) west of Ecuador’s coast,
inspired British naturalist Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Centenarian tortoises and blue-footed boobies live alongside the 18,000
islanders who earn a living from fishing and a growing tourism industry.
About 15,000 people are believed to live illegally in the islands,
government officials said.
A United Nations delegation is visiting the islands to determine whether the
World Heritage site should be declared “in danger.”,The Galapagos Islands
were declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1979 for their exotic flora
and fauna, including giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed
boobies.
Further information: Galapagos
Conservation Trust
