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Industrial fishing compliance with a new marine corridor near the Galapagos Islands

Industrial fishing in waters near the Galápagos has long been a challenge for marine conservation. In a context where fishing pressure and species protection coexist in tension, a recent study examined what happens when new marine protected areas are implemented. In particular, the creation of the Hermandad Marine Reserve in 2022 offers a unique opportunity to understand how fishing fleets respond to new regulations in one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.

The objective of the study was to assess industrial fishing patterns within Ecuador’s Insular Exclusive Economic Zone, including the Galápagos Marine Reserve and the newly established Hermandad Reserve. Through this analysis, researchers sought to understand how fishing effort varies across management zones, which fishing methods are most prevalent, and how fleet behavior changed before and after the implementation of this new protected area.

To achieve this, satellite-based vessel positioning data (AIS) collected between 2019 and 2023 were used, along with analytical tools and statistical models. This approach made it possible to identify more than 145 industrial vessels from 10 countries and estimate over 64,000 hours of fishing activity in the region. Variables such as gear type, spatial distribution, and temporal changes in activity were also analyzed, allowing for a precise evaluation of the new marine reserve’s impact.

The results reveal a key finding: following the creation of the Hermandad Marine Reserve, fishing effort within this area decreased by 88%. This significant change suggests a high level of compliance, even without an immediate increase in enforcement measures. Unlike other cases, there was no clear displacement of fishing activity to nearby areas. Overall, the study concludes that a combination of international visibility, stakeholder agreements, and prior regional management may be critical to achieving effective conservation, positioning the Galápagos as a benchmark for sustainable ocean management.

Read the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308597X25003847

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In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. We are proud to announce the World Summit on Island Sustainability scheduled to be held on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.

The content of the World Summit will be distributed globally through social media and results documented through papers published in a book written as part of the Galapagos Book Series by Springer Nature and edited by Steve Walsh (UNC) & Carlos Mena (USFQ) as well as Jill Stewart (UNC) and Juan Pablo Muñoz (GSC/USC). The book will be inclusive and accessible by the broader island community including scientists, managers, residents, tourists, and government and non-government organizations.

While the most obvious goal of organizing the World Summit on Island Sustainability is to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the GSC and the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, other goals will be addressed through special opportunities created as part of our operational planning of the World Summit.

For instance, we seek to elevate and highlight the Galapagos in the island conservation discourse, seeking to interact with other island networks in more obvious and conspicuous ways to benefit the Galapagos Islands, the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, and the world. We will seize the opportunity to further develop the I2N2 – International Islands Network-of-Networks. Further, we wish to highlight and emphasize multiple visions of a sustainable future for the Galapagos Islands and we cannot do this alone. Therefore, engaging the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, the Government Council of Galapagos, the Galapagos National Park, and local Galapagos authorities, including government and non-government organizations and local citizen groups, is imperative.

The Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

Borrowing from Hawaii’s and Guam’s Green Growth Program and the Global Island Partnership, we wish to examine existing global programs that emphasize island sustainability and their incorporation into life, policies, and circumstances in the Galapagos Islands. We will also seek to enhance our connections with the institutional members of our International Galapagos Science Consortium and expand the Consortium through the recruitment of other member institutions. We will also work to benefit islands and their local communities by working with citizen groups as well as important NGOs who seek to improve the natural conditions in the Galapagos and diminish the impact of the human dimension on the future of Galapagos’ ecosystems.

Lastly, we will use the World Summit to benefit UNC & USFQ and our constituencies through a strong and vibrant communication plan about the World Summit, creating corporate relationships as sponsors, identifying funding goals through donors, and benefiting our study abroad program for student engagement in the Galapagos Islands. We plan to develop and issue a Galapagos Sustainability Communique after the World Summit that includes the vision and insights of all its participants for a sustainable Galapagos with applicability to global island settings.

We are eager to hear your perspective and have you join us at the World Summit on Island Sustainability!