Illegal Fishing, Marine Life, Red Flag 1 comment

Another Industrial Shark Fishing Vessel is Apprehended in Galapagos

By on September 23rd, 2011

Inspectors pull the dead sharks from the hold of the vessel. Photo: Tim WattersInspectors pull the dead sharks from the hold of the vessel. Photo: Tim WattersGalapagos hasn’t fully recovered from the one of the largest shark poaching cases this past July, when yet another vessel was caught inside the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) just this past week. The Ecuadorian Navy apprehended the Reina del Cisne, an industrial fishing vessel from Manta, on September 16, 2011. The navy found the industrial fishing vessel six nautical miles inside the GMR.

The Reina del Cisne, together with two small boats, was equipped with longlines, a fishing method prohibited by Galapagos regulations. Upon inspection of the mothership, dozens of dead sharks were found in their holds. The navy ordered the vessel to San Cristobal Island for further inspection, where it has been detained pending the ongoing investigation. The 12 crewmembers have all been placed under arrest.

Sea Shepherd Galapagos participated as an official observer in the inspection of the vessel that took place on September 20. We witnessed the devastating effects of shark fishing when the deck of the Reina del Cisne slowly filled with one dead shark after another.  The final number of victims was 81, including 69 thresher sharks, 11 blue sharks, and one silky shark. Some of these sharks were only a few months old, a truly sad sight. Thresher sharks are valued for their long fins, which unfortunately bring in a lot of money in the Asian market. Thresher sharks are also known for having small litters of two to four sharks per birth. This low reproduction rate combined with the extensive overfishing for their fins has resulted in thresher sharks being listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Sea Shepherd is grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate in this inspection. We were impressed with the efficiency and excellent cooperation between the various governmental organizations involved in this case. A legal document to record the inspection will be signed next week by all participants, including our Director of Operations, formalizing Sea Shepherd´s observer status of the inspection. The Galapagos National Park Service, the Ecuadorian Navy, Ecuadorian National Police, the science sector represented by Gaias, and of course the Environmental Prosecutor all deserve a big compliment for their role in gathering the evidence in this case.

We hope there will be no further cases this year of industrial vessels entering the GMR without authorization. But if they do, we know that the Galapagos law enforcement agencies are doing a great job. As for the judicial response to this case, we demand local judges to realize that they are delivering justice in a national protected area and a world natural heritage site where sharks are protected. Nevertheless, we will keep monitoring this judicial case to advocate for the proper application of the Ecuadorian green Constitution, the Convention on the World Natural Heritage, the Galapagos special legal regime, and the Penal Code of Ecuador.

Shark victims onboard the shark fishing vessel. Photo: Tim WattersShark victims onboard the shark fishing vessel. Photo: Tim Watters Director of Operations SSCS Galapagos Alex Cornelissen displays a thresher shark fin. Photo: Tim WattersDirector of Operations SSCS Galapagos Alex Cornelissen displays a thresher shark fin.
Photo: Tim Watters

Source…Sea Shepherd

Conservation, Galapagos News 1 comment

Prince Charles to Build Controversial Eco-Homes on the Galapagos Islands

By on September 16th, 2011

:-?  I an having mixed feeling about this project. One one hand I am worried about the quality of the constructions and how it will affect conservation, but on the other hand if properly constructed, planed and organized it is definitely a plus for the locals as the basic infrastructure of Puerto Ayora is a mess. There was never proper planning, no controlled sewage installations, no potable water and the list could go on. What do you think?

Prince Charles is planning to help with the construction of 1,000 eco-friendly homes on the Galapagos Islands, but this isn’t a happy occasion for all, especially conservationists.

Leading conservationists are concerned that the construction could seriously harm one of the most precious eco-systems. For those of you who don’t know, these islands are the inspiration for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The islands were discovered in the 16th century and became famous after studied by Darwin.

Next month Prince Charles’ organization, The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, will set up an office on one of the islands 600 miles off Ecuador to work with the people of Puerto Ayora “to create a ‘harmonious’ residential development that is ‘sympathetic’ to the local environment.”

The eco-construction will only take up 3 percent of the total land. However, the local government will construct more than 1,000 homes at El Mirador, doubling the population of Puerto Ayora. The Prince of Wales will help guide officials in building more homes and creating more tourism accommodation, all while maintaining the eco-system.

 

8-) The homes will include solar panels, large porches to cool air and dispense with the need for air-conditioning, cisterns to collect rain for re-use and green sewage systems.

In March 2009, Prince Charles visited the islands and said, “There is a huge challenge – how do you manage tourism and the local economy and more people who want to come and live here and work here? Yet [there is] the absolutely crucial importance of preserving the biodiversity because it is so unique. This is the great dilemma, isn’t it, that confronts all of us all round the world, not just here?”

Conservations have expressed worry over too many tourists visiting the islands and founded the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 preventing construction and pollution destroying the islands’ beauty.

“Given the decision of the Galapagos government to approve development, the Prince’s Foundation is looking forward to showing that people and nature can co-exist in a harmonious balance,” Hank Dittmar, the foundation’s chief executive, said. “If we’re to avoid damage to the incredibly important environment and ecosystems of the Galapagos, we need to plan growth so as it makes the place more sustainable into the future – not less.”

The Galapagos Islands are made up of 13 main islands and a few smaller ones. Not only famous for Darwin, they are known worldwide for the diverse flora and fauna such as flamingos and of course the famous giant tortoises. You may have heard of the local “celeb” turtle, Lonesome George, who is about 100 years old and the last of his Pinta island species.

Toni Dalton from the Galapagos Conservation Trust did warn the construction could be a “real threat,” but she is “delighted” Prince Charles and his foundation is helping.

Source : Ecorazzi

Conservation, Invasive Species 1 comment

West Nile virus one step closer to reaching the Galápagos

By on September 14th, 2011

Renewed vigilance over the biosecurity of the Galápagos Islands is needed, based on new research on the risk posed by West Nile virus to species such as the Galápagos giant tortoise.

 

Galapagos Tortoise © Marilyn Cruz

Scientists from ZSL, the University of Leeds and the New York State Department of Health, together with the Galápagos National Park Service, have been studying the disease threat posed by Islands’ mosquito populations. They have discovered that a species of these biting insects is capable of transmitting West Nile virus, a potentially dangerous disease for the archipelago’s unique wildlife.

West Nile virus (WNV) most commonly affects birds, but can infect mammals, including humans, and reptiles. Previous studies of West Nile virus impact in the USA have linked the virus to declines in several bird populations, demonstrating the high risk it poses to the Galápagos’ endemic species. The virus recently invaded South America, but has yet to reach the Galápagos.
Recent studies on tourist boats and planes have shown that the mosquito species Culex quinquefasciatus is hitching a ride onto the Galápagos on airliners. Culex species are well-known vectors of WNV elsewhere in the world, so their presence on the Islands has caused concern amongst the scientific community.

Marine Iguanas
The ability of mosquitoes to transmit particular disease agents effectively often varies between species, or between populations within species. Therefore to understand the risk posed by C. quinquefasciatus in Galápagos, the research team measured the ability of Galápagos C. quinquefasciatus to pick up and transmit WNV in the lab, under conditions that simulated those in the wild. They found that Galápagos C. quinquefasciatus were indeed effective vectors for the virus.

Prof Andrew Cunningham from ZSL says: “We now know that mosquitoes capable of carrying West Nile virus have a route onto the Galápagos, and once there, the virus could also spread into the local mosquito population. This means there is potential for large impacts on endemic species. There is no doubt that West Nile virus poses a serious threat to the survival of the Galápagos’ iconic wildlife.”

In order to reduce the chances of West Nile virus reaching the islands, the authors suggest further research to determine the presence of WNV in the mainland Ecuador, plus strict enforcement insect control measures on aircraft and ships moving between the mainland and islands.

Dr Simon Goodman from the University of Leeds says: “Piece by piece we are building up a comprehensive picture of the disease ecology in Galápagos and what could happen if WNV were to reach the islands. Once WNV has been introduced onto the Galápagos, it would be much harder to contain. Therefore the best strategy is to have strict preventive measures to reduce the chance of the disease reaching the islands in the first place.”

Lead author Gillian Eastwood: “Whilst WNV does not yet exist in Galápagos, it is important to envisage what future disease scenarios could be by looking at how this particular virus would interact within this unique ecosystem. Evaluating the role that mosquitoes could play is therefore vital. This recent part of our work is however only one aspect to understanding potential WNV transmission on the Islands; it remains to see how severely Galapagos wildlife might be affected but all precautions should be taken”

Source : ZSL Living Conservation

Conservation, Illegal Fishing 1 comment

Hell’s Broth: Gordon Ramsay Gets Up Close With Shark Fin Soup

By on September 12th, 2011

:cry: When will this madness stop? Still a big problem in Galapagos to control the illegal fishing and massacres…Well done Chef Gordon Ramsey :-?

dead shark photo
Photo: puuikibeach<

Gordon Ramsay has already been assaulted for documenting the shark fin industry. Daniel Kessler wrote that he was showered with gasoline and held at gunpoint in Costa Rica after making his way onto a tiny fishing vessel and taping the illegal trafficking of shark fins. And now you can see why those close to the industry don’t want the disparaging footage seen by the general public.

When Gordon Ramsay first showed up in a Taiwanese restaurant to sample shark fin soup you couldn’t help but be disgusted. He watched the soup’s long, arduous preparation, mostly based around a slow-cooked broth, and then the addition of the infamous fin. But a few minutes later the real motivation behind the clip surfaced–Ramsay was scheming to get behind closed doors so that viewers could see the painful brutality behind shark fin soup. It’s a dish that is the main cause behind an industry that claims between 26 million and 73 million sharks annually, according to Science News.

After tasting shark fin soup, a 90 pound per bowl and startlingly tasteless broth, Ramsay went to a nearby port and witnessed a huge endangered hammerhead knifed to death for its fins and then left to bleed to death, its meat worth nothing to fisherman. It’s like cutting a tiger’s arms off in the Savannah and then leaving it to bleed to death, one anti-shark finer explains.

In the video, Ramsay shows the tiny fishing vessel in Costa Rica, which later caused the initial assault. While the boat was small and seemed innocent enough, its fishing methods were hugely unsustainable, with multiple hooks dangling from the boat. The fishermen would catch a shark, remove its fins, and then use the remainder of its body for bait to catch more sharks.

In the end, Ramsay uses footage of the video to convince five of the top Chinese restaurants in London to stop serving shark fin soup and display a sign outlining why they did.

The video isn’t easy to swallow, in fact, it’s hard not to look away, but if you’re unclear as to what shark fin soup is and the sheer terror it causes a severely declining species, it’s worth a watch. Source…Treehugger

 

 

Animal Picture/Video of the Day 1 comment

Picture of Today / Foto del Dia…

By on September 8th, 2011

Test your knowledge 1 comment

Do you know how to tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion?

By on September 7th, 2011

It’s simple! For one, seals don’t have external ear flaps–just holes on their head.

Sea lions do have external ears (like a lion!), making them easy to spot.

Also, sea lions can walk around using their strong front flippers, but seals can’t even stand up on their flippers. ;-)

Facts about Sea Lions

Facts about Seals

Some facts about the Galapagos Sea Lion

 

 

Galapagos News 1 comment

Lady Justice Has Abandoned Galapagos / La Dama Justicia ha abandonado Galápagos

By on August 28th, 2011

TEXTO EN ESPANOL VER MAS ABAJO…

Lady Justice Has Abandoned Galapagos :-(

Photo: Galapagos National Park ServicePhoto: Galapagos National Park ServiceOn July 25th, Sea Shepherd reported the capture of a fishing vessel in what is the biggest case of shark killing in the history of the Galapagos National Park. We saw this as our opportunity to put almost two years of hard work in our legal project into practice and were preparing ourselves to go to court as an accusing party in defense of the massacred sharks. It was going to be historic, as there is no prior record of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) prosecuting environmental cases in the Galapagos. But, we were too optimistic as the Galapagos legal system is incapable of dealing with environmental crimes. In fact, we wonder if the local legal system is even capable of handling any crimes at all. In the 13 years of environmental regulations in the Special Law of Galapagos, not a single conviction has ever followed an environmental crime. We now know why: it is simply impossible under the present judicial conditions.

The facts of the Fer Mary 1 case:

-          The Fer Mary 1 is an industrial fishing vessel, using longlines, registered in Manta, the main fisheries port of Ecuador.

-          The Fer Mary 1 was detected by the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), on July 18th 2011. VMS is used by the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) to monitor vessel movement inside the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR).

-          The GNPS sent a speedboat to intercept the vessel that was operating some 20 NM inside the GMR. This speedboat had six rangers and one navy member. They sailed under difficult sea conditions to do their job. The seas were so rough that the GNPS took a big risk.

-          A large number of sharks (357) of different species, including one mako, a protected species by the Convention on Migratory Species, were found in the vessel and its dependant minor vessels. Some of these species are also listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list as either endangered or threatened. In Galapagos ALL species of sharks receive full legal protection.

-          According to the Galapagos Law and the Criminal Code of Ecuador, any capture of sharks, is illegal within the GMR. Any industrial fishing, especially using longlines, is also illegal inside the GMR.

-          On July 19th, the environmental prosecutor of Galapagos opened an investigation on the environmental crimes of fishing within the GMR and capturing protected species against the crew of Fer Mary 1. Upon request of the prosecutor, the judge ordered the detention of all crewmembers. The GNPS also filed an accusation.

-          If convicted, the crew of the Fer Mary 1 can all get up to three years imprisonment for fishing illegally and an additional three years for capturing protected species.

-          On August 3rd upon request of defendant’s attorney, a judicial hearing took place. Despite the prosecutor’s formal opposition, the judge decided on Saturday August 6th to release all suspects on the condition they report to the judge in Manta, their hometown on the mainland, every eight days. This condition applies to 19 crewmembers, which have left the islands and are now enjoying freedom 982 km away from the crime scene. Only the captain and the chief engineer, have to stay in Galapagos on San Cristobal Island until the end of the preliminary investigation, which is the first stage of the criminal procedure.

-          From a litigation perspective, the case has no future, as most suspects are out of town. This means that all of the risks taken by park rangers and the navy crew, implementation of expensive satellite monitoring technology, and all of the work of the environmental prosecutor and the GNPS was worth nothing to the judicial system, as suspects are now 982 km away from the Galapagos Islands. In reality, real justice is meant to respond to society and to protect it, not to abandon it.

-          And yet, it gets even worse: If charged with environmental crimes, all suspects will have to come back to Galapagos for trial. This has never happened in previous cases. The Papate is a good example. In April 2010, this Ecuadorian industrial fishing vessel was also caught inside the GMR with 183 dead sharks onboard. Five times the court in Galapagos has asked the 14 defendants, who are also from Manta, to return to Galapagos for their court case. The last time only one of them complied. In order for the court to process the case, ALL defendants must be present.  If the defendants fail to show up, the police have the authority to detain them and transport them to the court. This happens on the continent BUT in the case of Galapagos the question emerges: who will pay the costs of transportation from the mainland to the islands? Neither the police nor the judicial system has the budget for this. It is also not clearly regulated in the law.

-          Even if suspects do return, it is already certain that the case will be nullified: in the first environmental case that ever went to trial in Galapagos, the local criminal court has declared itself not competent to address cases on environmental crimes. That means that if you want to prosecute somebody in Galapagos, you have to go to the nearest provincial court in Ecuador, some 982 kilometers away. This is unbelievable and simply unacceptable.

-          Even more unacceptable is the fact that Galapagos is the only province in Ecuador without a Provincial Court of Justice.  How can this all happen in such a unique place as Galapagos?

Further notes of interest regarding the Fer Mary 1 case:

-          The vessel is being detained in Galapagos. History has shown that the owners will unlikely get it back (small bit of good news).

-          The prosecutor has also started a case against the owner of the vessel, a positive and new strategy to push the case to its limits. However, the same applies here as with the other defendants of previous cases: if one fails to show up, none can be charged.

-          The judicial system needs to be completely sanitized. Sea Shepherd Galapagos has helped achieve great improvements but as it turns out we haven’t even scraped the surface in this area. The environmental prosecutor is doing a great job but is running against the judicial wall.

-          The GNPS is able to capture illegal fishermen thanks to the already existing VMS and soon with help of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) that Sea Shepherd is installing. The park rangers do this under difficult sea conditions taking big risks in order to protect the GMR. It is very frustrating for the rangers to then see the case being lost due to a failing judicial system.

-          The judge ordered the release of the fishermen due to humanitarian reasons. He thought it unfair to incarcerate people for a “mere” environmental infraction. But what about the terrible environmental damage that was inflicted upon this fragile ecosystem? What about breaking the law, doesn’t that count for something? Apparently in Galapagos, nature is not as important to the judicial system.

-          The judge who ordered the release was removed from his position, days after he made this decision.

Next steps of action to correct this unacceptable situation:

-          Complete, in depth sanitation is needed of the judicial system in Galapagos. Competent judges need to be appointed who understand the value of the Galapagos’ delicate ecosystem.

-          If the court in Galapagos is not competent to address cases on environmental crimes, than a provincial court should be appointed in Galapagos.

-          Where it is clear that the local judiciary does not understand the ecological value of sharks, at least it should be make clear to them that the economical damage to Galapagos far exceeds the profits of illegal fishermen. Some 90% of the people in Galapagos are dependent on tourism of which dive tourism is a very important part. People come to Galapagos to see sharks, not to see sharks being butchered by illegal fishermen.

-          Cases need to be treated on a person-to-person basis. Instead of trying to get all crewmembers back at the same time (which has proven to be impossible), the courts should prosecute each person individually. Not only will this be a lot easier, it also prevents all cases to be delayed if only one person fails to show up. This method is being applied in other parts of Ecuador where it has been proven to work. Due to the logistical difficulty Galapagos faces, as well as the lack of a provincial court, this should be an option.

Next steps of action for Sea Shepherd Galapagos:

This unlawful shark massacre will not be forgotten, and we will make sure of it. Sharks were killed in a shark sanctuary where they receive full protection, even though the judicial system fails to understand that.

This case has become the very symbol of a failing judicial system in Galapagos. If this judiciary is ever to become what it should be, a knowledgeable and respected actor in delivering environmental justice, then urgent and full transformation is needed.

At the moment, a process of judicial transformation is underway in Ecuador. We need to show national judicial authorities just how poorly environmental justice is being delivered in Galapagos. The Fer Mary 1 case will not bring the 357 dead sharks back to life, nor does it pay justice to the hard work of all the local authorities involved, but it may just be THE case justifying the need for major, local judicial transformation.

A legal brief (amicus curiae) on the need to protect sharks will soon be filed in court. Local and national support is being asked in order to send a clear message to the judicial system on how upsetting this case has become to society.

Two years ago we succeeded in showing national authorities the need of a specialized environmental prosecutor for Galapagos, and now, we turn our efforts to the judiciary.

It is about time for Lady Justice to come back to Galapagos.

EN ESPANOL VER EN LA PROXIMA PAGINA….GRACIAS

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Charles Darwin 1 comment

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. Charles Darwin

By on August 28th, 2011

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.
Charles Darwin

ENJOY YOUR DAY! :-D

Charles Darwin, Galapagos News 1 comment

Sarah Darwin, the famous naturalist’s great-great-grandaughter, helps the Galapagos Islands celebrate Blue-footed Booby Day

By on June 17th, 2011

Source…Daily Mail UK

June 17th is Blue-footed Booby day, a celebration of one of the Galapagos Islands’ most delightful creatures.

If you’re unfamiliar with the ‘Booby’, then let us enlighten you. Renowned for its clumsy gait, ungainly mating dance (Scroll down to watch a video) and electric blue flippers, the Blue-footed Booby (there are red and yellow-footed species too) can be found on the continental coasts of the eastern Pacific Ocean and most famously on the Galapagos Islands.

In spite of the bird’s humorous credentials, Blue-footed Booby day, created by the Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) comes with a serious underlying message about the conversation of some of the world’s rarest species.

Here, MailOnline travel chats to GCT ambassador Sarah Darwin – the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin – about her favourite bird and what her famous ancestor might have made of the Galapagos Islands today…

Two Blue-footed Booby birds perched on rock[caption

Blue-footed Booby hiding behind a wingAre you looking at me? The Blue-footed Booby mating ‘dance’ and funny walk have made it one of the Island’s most popular species

Charles Darwin's great-great grandaughter, botanist Sarah DarwinOn the shoulders of giants: Charles Darwin’s great-great grandaughter, botanist Sarah Darwin, continues to fight for the preservation of the Galapagos Islands

Can you tell us more about Blue-footed Booby Day and what its underlying importance is?

Continue reading Sarah Darwin, the famous naturalist’s great-great-grandaughter, helps the Galapagos Islands celebrate Blue-footed Booby Day →

Galapagos News, Travel Experience 1 comment

Beached on Galapagos

By on June 17th, 2011

 

Animal attraction ... a marine iguana rests dockside on Santa Cruz Island. Photo Getty Images

Kelsey Munro is not immune to the charm of a sea lion or the forces of nature while exploring the teeming archipelago.

Barely 20 minutes after touching down in the Galapagos Islands, we realise we’re in a parallel universe. It’s not the green volcano or the austere candelabra cactuses, nor the dusty, ramshackle town on the island of San Cristobal. It’s the inhabitants. Piles of them snooze in the sun under the children’s play equipment. They loll around outside the shops on the beachfront promenade and trespass on moored boats. They burp, scratch and bark like a bunch of old drunks and generally behave as if the humans matter not at all.

The tiny town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is overrun with sea lions. They’re cute as puppies, though they smell like rotting fish and make noises like retching dogs. You can spot the new tourists in town: they’re the ones going gaga over the sea lions. The locals just step around them.

Galapagos tortoises wallow on Isabela. Photo: Getty Images

I have brought with me Charles Darwin’s book The Voyage of the Beagle, where in a slim chapter the legendary naturalist writes about his five weeks on the islands of San Cristobal, Floreana, Santiago and Isabela in 1835. His observations of the wildlife provided key clues to his world-changing theory of evolution. I am charmed.

“Listen to this,” I call to my boyfriend from the bed of our hotel room on Isabela. “‘Seeing every height crowned with its crater, and the boundaries of most of the lava streams still distinct, we are led to believe that within a period, geologically recent, the unbroken ocean was here spread out. Hence … we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact – that mystery of mysteries – the first appearance of new beings on Earth.”‘

I sigh.

My boyfriend looks around the bathroom door. “Do you have a crush on Darwin?” he asks.

Well, you know. Maybe a little one.

When the charming, gentlemanly Darwin was here – studying, riding and even eating the tortoises – the islands were a base for whalers, sailors and eccentric foreign settlers. They were a strategic base for American forces in the Pacific during both world wars. Mainlanders ran merciless penal colonies on the islands, on and off, for more than a century. Then, in 1959, the fragility and uniqueness of the 13 major islands of the Galapagos were recognised by its designation as a national park by the Ecuadorian government.

Today, about 30,000 people live in the Galapagos, mostly working in tourism. Visitor numbers are restricted. Drinking water and food have to be flown or shipped in but there is a push to make the Galapagos and its tourism industry more sustainable.

Continue reading Beached on Galapagos →