GALAPAGOS FISHERMEN ON THE ATTACK

15-11-00

In the last three days, lawless bands of fishermen in Galapagos - an island

province of Ecuador long hailed as an international flagship of

conservation - have attacked conservation installations, ransacked

municipal offices, torched a National Park vehicle, harassed tourist

groups, taken rare captive-bred giant tortoises hostage, and threatened the

lives of conservation personnel. Complete news coverage is hard to get,

because communications out of the various islands is shaky to non-existent,

but this info has been pieced together from e-mails received from alarmed

residents and by making direct phone calls to Santa Cruz Island.

The situation reached crisis proportions around 0630 a.m. on Wednesday 15

November, when the fishermen seized island ports and posted their fast

boats at many strategic locations to harass tourists trying to visit

wildlife sites. Boat chases and other aggressions were reported against

tourist operators who attempted to proceed with their activities. The

Galapagos National Park personnel barricaded themselves in their

headquarters and the small police contingent (35 men) helped keep the

throngs of fishermen at bay, who repeatedly tried to storm the premises on

Santa Cruz, as they had already done on Isabela and San Cristobal Islands.

Police and navy protection have also been granted to Charles Darwin

Foundation offices on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal Islands, who report that

all their personnel are safe. On the Island of Isabela, the third major

fishing port, the situation is reported as totally out of control, with the

town mayor said to have fled for his life, though no details have been

confirmed.

The fishermen have three main demands: a complete abandonment of the

lobster fishing quota of 54 tons, which they filled in the first two months

of the four months season; dropping all charges leveled at some of their

members for previous violence against government property and personnel;

and an active expansion of the Galapagos fisheries management to develop a

completely new long-lining industry for currently protected shark within

the Galapagos Marine Reserve. This demand comes in complete disregard of

scientific advice or the fact that such fishing practices are widely known

to pose serious risks to many rare and unique species, such as albatross,

sea lions, sea turtles, sharks and many others.

As threats and events escalated on Wednesday, desperate messages were

received from within Galapagos calling for armed reinforcement from the

Ecuadorian military, with the pleading words "We can't hold out much

longer!" However, according to the local radio station on Santa Cruz

Island, by the end of the day the crisis had eased as the fishermen were

granted a lobster quota extension of 30 additional tons to take them to the

31st of December, corresponding to a 60% hike over and above the original

quota. It is not clear at this moment how the decision was reached to grant

the fishermen this extension. In a broadcasted speech, the head of one of

the fishing cooperatives declared the solution only temporary as the

fishermen, emboldened by the success of their tactics, demand substantial

expansion of the fishing activities inside the Marine Reserve, in defiance

of existing quotas and measures.

It should be noted that, for several years already, the fishermen have been

given a decisive voice in the Interinstitutional Management Authority in

charge of the Reserve, under which spirit of cooperation they were to

control the number of genuine local fishermen allowed to join the

cooperatives. In a spectacular failure of this mechanism, the number of

registered fishermen participating in the activity has jumped from around

500 last year to 939 at present, nearly a twofold increase, many of whom

are recent arrivals to Galapagos. It is apparently this mushrooming of

their numbers, who share the agreed quotas between them, which has turned

the fishermen against the management scheme they helped create.

The dramatic implications of this latest in a series of conflagrations is

that the fishermen have, not for the first time, seen their violent tactics

rewarded with immediate gratification. The clear message for the future is

that whenever they are unhappy with the management strategies in defense of

sustainable use of the marine environment, violent action and threats of

bodily harm is all it takes to obtain expedient results.

At this writing (1900 hours, 16 November, Galapagos local time) renewed

violence is already taking shape, with more attacks on conservation

institutions and tourism anticipated for the early morning hours as the

fishermen upscale their actions in a free-for-all of sweeping demands.

The Galapagos Islands, awarded the title of World Heritage Site by the

United Nations, have been recognized as a model of international

conservation, with enormous trust placed in the harmonious development of

an equanimous balance between human needs and environmental protection. The

focus of these efforts have at all times been aimed at combining

scientifically backed conservation strategies with the sustainable use of

the resource for the benefit of both the people and the ecosystem. Current

events are redefining those premises to allow short-term greed to rule

instead. A show of force and commitment by all levels of government in

defence of law and order and carefully crafted management strategies, is

desperately needed if the integrity of Galapagos is not to be lost forever.

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News from Galapagos compiled by Tui De Roy, wildlife photographer, resident

of Galapagos for 40 years; currently living in New Zealand but maintaining

close ties with events and family there. As is well known, ever since

Darwin the Galapagos Islands have commanded world attention as a natural

laboratory of evolution, unique on a world scale for their extraordinary

fauna and flora. In today's atmosphere of accelerating global wildlife

losses, these islands stand out as a conservation marvel because

irretrievable loss of species has not yet taken a serious toll here. For

example, whereas flightless birds are usually the first to disappear from

threatened insular ecosystems, the Galapagos flightless cormorant, whose

small population of approximately 1,000 birds is trapped in the midst of

current intensive fishing activity, is the last remaining flightless

seabird in the world. Unlike all other major island groups where

extinctions are already rife, in Galapagos it would still be relatively

easy to safeguard this natural treasure for future generations. I am

sending this to all friends and acquaintances in an effort to let the world

know what is happening in Galapagos at the moment, and what is at stake for

the future, hoping some of you may be in a position to bring media

attention to the defence of Galapagos. I urge anyone interested in the

matter to seek further information and help raise public awareness in

support of the Ecuadorian government's swift and strong action. I would be

happy to answer questions at Ph. +64-3-525-8370.

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CULMINATION OF EVENTS, FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER

On Friday the situation exploded. Even though the Minister of the

Environment had hastily announced a 30 ton extension of the original

50 ton quota (my original mention of 54 tons was the actual catch at

the time of closure, already 4 tons over the quota), the fishermen

continued to demand an open season, plus the development of new

destructive fisheries within the marine reserve. Here is an excerpt

>from the Charles Darwin Foundation press release of that day:

"Technical disagreements over acceptable levels of the lobster

fishery in the Galapagos Islands have been transformed into an

unacceptable situation of violence, antagonism, criminality and

insecurity. In the early hours of Friday 17th, the Head of the

National Park in the island of Isabela, and staff of the Charles

Darwin Research Station there were rescued by military officers after

they had taken refuge in mangroves, having been pursued and threatened

with death by hostile fishermen. The National Park offices were set on

fire and those of the Station were sacked by the fishermen, and all of

the contents destroyed. The private house of Juan Chavez, Head of the

Park office in Isabela, was also sacked and its contents, even down to

the toys of his daughters, thrown into the street and destroyed by the

fishermen."

Over several days prior, fishermen had been threatening tourists and

disrupting their visits to the National Park sites. In one incident

rubber bullets were fired at the attackers by Navy personnel, but no

arrests were made. Late on Friday a Committee of Santa Cruz Island

Citizens was created, with representation from all of the local

associations such as traders, professionals, conservationists,

tourism, education, and others. The group condemned the criminal

actions of the past few days and called for firm action from the

government. Troops and reinforcement police were sent out to the

islands to prevent further violence, but again, no arrests whatsoever

were made even though the perpetrators have been filmed and are known

to all.

All day Friday the phone lines were down, after the repeater antenna

for Galapagos purportedly suffered willful damage on San Cristobal

Island.

LATEST NEWS AS OF SATURDAY EVENING, 18 NOVEMBER

(No further news as at Sunday evening, 19 November: Telephone lines

appear to be once again blocked.)

The latest news, acquired mainly through phone calls appears to be

that the lobstermen called off the strike on all three islands for the

moment, and are once again fishing. The State of Emergency the

government was considering was shelved and some semblance of normality

seems to have returned over the weekend.

But, with the fishermen triumphant from their totally unpunished

violence and vandalism against government and conservation personnel

and property, as well as threats and disruptions against tourists and

private businesses, it is clear they will make use of these aggressive

tactics again as soon as they see fit.

It appears the lobstermen have now set out to fish until the 31st of

December, regardless of whether they overrun the new 30 ton quota

extension or not.

What, one might ask, has made the fishermen so bold in expressing

their demands? The answer lies in the inebriating wealth they have

tasted at various intervals in recent years through sudden

goldrush-style fishing sprees, both legal and illegal, netting them

vast fortunes in short bursts of just a few weeks/months. For

example, the legal 1999 sea cucumber season netted the industry US$3.4

million in just three months, while it is public knowledge that

illegal sea cucumber fishing activities have continued unabated even

during closed seasons. Back in 1994 a two months experimental catch

reached 8 million sea cucumbers. Such riches have given these

fishermen a sense of phenomenal power and invincibility, a notion

which history is in the process of proving correct.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

For nearly a decade, every effort has been made at local, national and

international levels to include the fishing community of Galapagos in

the management of the resources upon which it depends. Today, greed

and the taste of power has brought all these efforts - and the many

accords and agreements they generated - to nought.

Here is a succinct perspective on the statistics of Galapagos fishing

in the last two years. In 1999, 795 fishermen (in 222 boats) took part

in the sea cucumber fishery. The 2000 season, reopened against

scientific recommendations, showed 1,387 fishermen (in 417 boats)

registered with the four legal fishing cooperatives of Galapagos, an

increase of 74% in just one year. Meanwhile the daily catch per diver

for this season was down 41.5% relative to last year.

The 2000 sea cucumber season was closed after just two months upon

reaching the legal quota of 4.5 million sea cucumbers. The closure

generating similar strikes and attacks from the fishermen in May,

although less violent in nature, including the taking of severally

endangered baby tortoises from the Isabela Island breeding center as

hostages. The violence over sea cucumbers this year lost its impetus

because of lowered market values in Asia, but still netted the

industry similar revenues as last year. The current lobster fishery

is carried out by many of the same players as the sea cucumber

fishery.

The 1999 lobster fishery took 54 tons (4 tons over the quota) in 4

months with 500 fishermen participating. This year the fishery

cooperative in San Cristobal Island allowed its ranks to swell, with

939 fishermen (nearly doubling the number from last year) partaking in

the 2000 season, and resulting in a catch of 54 tons being reached in

just two months. -- =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

GALAPAGOS UPDATE AS AT MONDAY 20 NOVEMBER

(written by Tui De Roy)

On the surface, the week started peacefully in Galapagos. Apart from a

contingent of troops still stalking the streets of fishing villages to

ensure civil tranquility, and images of burned out conservation facilities

being aired on local and national television, all would appear normal.

Tourists are once again being charmed by the tameness and innocence of the

wildlife, and fishermen are busy diving for their quarry of the day: all

the lobsters they can scoop up until their self-appointed date of December 31.

Non-content with the 30 ton quota extension offered them by the Minister of

the Environment, they are not permitting any monitoring of their catches on

Isabela Island, where a large number of the fishermen are based. The

National Park and Darwin Foundation have been left reeling from destroyed

equipment, records and premises, and death threats to their personnel. Of

the rare tortoises rudely taken from the breeding facilities on Isabela,

there has been no word either confirming or denying their safety.

A Civil Committee formed by citizens of Galapagos to confront the emergency

has written to the President of Ecuador, the Minister of the Environment

and the Constitutional Tribunal demanding guarantees of public safety, and

requesting that swift justice be brought against the criminal actions.

Likewise, the tourism industry is also pressing for justice, pointing to

serious loss of future customer confidence, and hence foreign income for

the country. But still the thugs walk free.

DEEPLY UNSETTLING QUESTIONS

Why, one might ask, have these thugs once again been allowed not only to

get away with serious violence and general disruption of the peace, but

also been rewarded with a relaxation of the implementation of fishing

regulations that they were a party to creating under the cooperative

management strategy advanced by conservationists? Why have no arrests been

made, either during the attacks or subsequently? Is the government really

so weak, or is it under pressure not to act against a powerful and

well-financed marine products export industry in which the fishermen are

but the primary producers, their own greed making them perfect accomplices?

The real tragedy is not actually what happened during those four days last

week, but that the thugs are demonstrating with impunity that they can have

the last word when it comes to deciding whether or not the Galapagos Marine

Reserve will be managed sustainably. There is a growing notion in Galapagos

(though unproven) that this is just the tip of the iceberg, that the

lawlessness is not just a clique of short-sighted fishermen and concurrent

law-enforcement apathy, but is sparked by a network of outside market

forces whose aim it is to systematically vacuum up the rich resources of

Galapagos on an industrial scale. Unless a drastic turn of events comes

very soon, it is this grim reality that will shape the future of Galapagos.

The National Park, under whom the protection of the Marine Reserve falls,

is under increasing pressure from politicians to consider the opening of a

new long-line shark fishing industry, despite this technique's proven

disastrous effects upon a wide array of endangered species, from albatross

to turtles, not to mention the threat to the marine ecosystem by targeting

its apex predators. The scientific data and recommendations advanced by the

biologists from the Charles Darwin Research Station have repeatedly been

challenged or brushed aside in the negotiation procedures. The model of

conservation which for 40 years has been analogous to the word 'Galapagos'

is losing its meaning is we sit here wondering what to do.

The only hope is to bring swift and stringent litigation against criminal

acts and thus restore respect for law and order and for the carefully

crafted regulations to ensure a sustainable future for both people and

wildlife in the Galapagos. This will incur serious cost, as the powers to

be fought are well financed, but is Galapagos, of all places, not worth it?

****************************

As the immediate violence in Galapagos appears to have abated, I expect

this to be the last in my recent string of updates. However, I urge all

interested readers to consider from the bottom of the hearts what action is

best suited to their own particular situation. A polite letter to the

Ecuadorian embassy stressing the need to uphold the existing conservation

strategies and regulations for the Galapagos Marine Reserve (sorry, I'm in

New Zealand, you will have to locate the address of the one nearest you)? A

lobbying effort via any organization(s) you may have contact with to place

pressure on Ecuador to resist short-term natural resource exploitation? A

monetary donation to Galapagos conservation? You may register your interest

in supporting Galapagos with the organizations listed below - unless of

course you are one of the many who are already involved! I wish to thank

the many dozens of people who have taken time to respond and act in every

way possible this week in helping get the word out in defense of Galapagos

and the future of its natural wonders and caring inhabitants. All the best,

Tui