Hernandez 1

Galpagos Marine Reserve:

Tourism, Fishing, and Change

Danielle Hernandez

ES121 B - Environmental Issues Dr. Pomeroy April 24, 2013

Hernandez 2 In a world flooded with urban expansion, there are few places people can go to experience what our environment can be all it is capable of being. One place people can think ofand where many go with intent of tourism (or rather, eco tourism)- are the waters surrounding the Galapagos Archipelago. Yet everyone who wants to get a piece of the islands marine life combined with those who make their livelihoods there is destroying it. Numerous acts and policies have been being passed each year regarding protection of these waters since it was designated a Marine Reserve in 1998.1 Background The Galapagos archipelago is a series of islands located off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. It is renowned as being the location that inspired Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection in the 19th century and is a haven for biodiversity. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and therefore, a hotspot for tourism and policy concerns. The archipelago is made up of twelve islands- Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Espaola, Floreana, Genovesa, Marchena, Pinta, Darwin, and Wolf. 2 What Makes the Galapagos Marine Reserve Unique? The Galapagos Marine Reserve is extremely unique. It sits at a crossroad between two currents (See figure 1) - the cool Humboldt Current (Peruvian Coastal Current) and the warm Panama Current (El Nio). Due to this singular mix of temperature fronts, the Galapagos Marine Reserve boasts an incredible amount of biodiversity, but it is also very volatile. For instance, in

Peter J.S. Jones. (2013). A Governance Analysis of the Galpagos Marine Reserve. Marine Policy, doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2012.12.019 2 Mauricio Castrejon., & Anthony Charles. (2013). Improving fisheries co-management through ecosystem-based spatial management: The Galapagos Marine Reserve. Marine Policy, 38235-245. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2012.05.040

Hernandez 3 1998, when there was a change in El Nio, the spiny lobster population was severely depleted.3 However, many factors threaten this biodiversity- primarily tourism, finishing, and transportation between the island and the Ecuadorian mainland via boat. Tourism and fishing has seen a boom in recent years that some researches have compared to the historical Gold Rush in the American West since the opportunity to make more money and open up to tourism is much greater on the islands than on the mainland.4
Figure1 (Stearns, 2005)

Tourism, Ecotourism, and Change Ecotourism has been a hot topic in recent history. It is a rather new concept that is widely known but not completely understood. If one were to visit the Galapagos Marine Reserve today, one may not clearly see the problem. There still is more biodiversity in that location than most visitors are used to and it is true that this location has 96% of its endemic species intact.5 Yet what visitors dont realize is how quickly it is changing. In 2006, the number of visitors rose 250% from 1990 (from 40,000 to 145,000). Additionally, commercial flights increased in number 193% from just 2001 to 2006. There may be herons, albatrosses, humpback whales, and turtles galore, but the way things are working there, sustainability is not possible.
3

Alex Hearn. (2008, June 13). The rocky path to sustainable fisheries management and conservation in the Galpagos Marine Reserve. Ocean And Coastal Management, 51567-574. doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.06.009 4 Jones, 2013 5 Spill from oil tanker imperils rare wildlife in the galapagos. (2001, January 22). New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/22/world/spill-from-oil-tanker-imperils-rare-wildlife-in-the-galapagos.html

Hernandez 4 Their current model of development is highly detrimental. Introduction of invasive species have been helping a bit, but the tourism evolution is certainly far from health. A while ago, only very choice, very eco-aware tourists visited Galapagos, but during the increase of the ecotourism craze, more commodity-seeking and higher-standard-of-vacationing tourists began washing up.6 This could also be linked to the increased urbanization of mainland Ecuador. Those coming require the same style of living and although a majority of tourism proceeds dont actually go to locals, they have been evolving to cater to the needs of these not-so-eco tourists.7 There are ways that tourists dont even realize they are negatively affected the Galapagos Marine Reserve, as well. Since the most practical way to get to the islands are via boats, there is often a physical marine disturbances caused by the act of both private and commercial boats coming in and out of the Galapagos Archipelago. There has been a problem noted in which marine organisms become attached to the hulls of boats and are unintentionally transported outside of the marine reserve zones which they came from. The opposite also happens in which some species are unintentionally introduced to the reserve and sometimes have a negative effect on marine trophic levels. Hull inspections are routines of vessels coming in and especially departing from the islands, but there are often too many boats to inspect in a day. 8 Although tourism funds often dont go towards the locals, it does account for 78% of all employment on the islands and so economy is at the heart of fixing the tourism problem plaguing the marine reserve. Tourism may be skyrocketing, but it is generally well-managed. Right now, policy regarding tourism has been trying to keep more proceeds within the local community to

J. Conlin. (2008, January 27). Can darwins lab survive success?. New york times. Retrieved from http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/travel/27green.html?_r=0 7 Jones, 2013 8 ibid.

Hernandez 5 lessen dependence on tourism. It seems that this problem can be solves as dependency decreases enough.9 Fishing, Overfishing, and Policy There is a clear plan set up in regards to tourism, fishing is a whole different story. By means of a Participatory Management Board, local fishers have the ability to directly influence policy.10 This board is one lower half of a two-tier system that makes up the GMR Management Plan created to remedy conflicts in the 1980s and 1990s.11 It is at these meetings that we find policymakers falling into the overwhelming opinions of fishers and neglecting science-based strategy plans. Perhaps this isnt the best management plan for the Galapagos Marine Reserve. It is clear that there is a sustainability crisis because many fisheries are actually failing. Both sea cucumber and spiny lobster are the top catches.12 Due to overfishing of the once illegal13 sea cucumbers, sea cucumber fishing was banned from 2008 to 2010 due to very low sea cucumber populations. In addition, spiny lobster catches have decreased in recent years.14 Lobster fishing, which became commercialized in the 1960s, is now the most important resource for local fishers.15 Fishing is being monitored by zonation and fishing calendar agreements. In 2000, the GMR Management plan separated the Galapagos Marine Reserve into three zones (coastal, open water, and port area) under the Provisional Zonation Scheme in order to manage what areas are used to what purpose. (see figure 2) They also set up calendars developed by fishers and
9

Jones, 2013 ibid. 11 Hearn, 2008 12 Jones, 2013 13 Hearn, 2008 14 Jones, 2013 15 Hearn, 2008
10

Hernandez 6 scientists beginning in 2004 to monitor the amount of lobster and sea cucumber fishing done each season. It may seem that with these provisions in place, the fishing detriment would be on its way to recovery. Yet, just as too many cooks spoil the broth, there are too many hands in this problem. The zonation and calendar plans are not where it ends. Ever since the Galapagos became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, foreign NGOs and corporation agencies on top of the Galapagos Management Plan with its two-tiers and the Galapagos National Park Service with its eight directors, there is too much dissent to come to completely productive consensus.16

Figure 2 (Castrejon, 2013)

16

Hearn, 2008

Hernandez 7 But sometimes so much interest in one particular location can be helpful. Although management is difficult when there are so many stakeholders, policymakers, and other perspectives, it can be very helpful when crisis arises. In 2001, there was a spill from an oil tanker in the Galapagos Marine Reserve that threatened the marine life and birds that live there. Immediately, there was attention from all over the world. From the Darwin Foundation to Calfornias Bird Rescue Research Center to the Ecuadorian Navy and even to individual volunteers from all over, everyone wanted to step up an help the islands.17 Certainly, there is enough interest in the marine reserve for researchers and environmentalists to continue to think out solutions to the tourism boom and the overfishing dilemma. There is a limit to how much we can control forces such as climate change and El Nio is out of our hands. However, the poor social dynamics and the confusing policymaking tactics within environmental management groups and Galapagos society also limit how well we can preserve the Galapagos Marine Reserve. Fixing this social problem with regards to tourism and fishing policy is the beginning of a new cooperation that could yield effective and reasonable environmental restrictions and policies in the beloved archipelago.

17

"Spill from oil," 2001

Hernandez 8 Works Cited Castrejon., Mauricio & Anthony Charles. (2013). Improving fisheries co-management through ecosystem-based spatial management: The Galapagos Marine Reserve. Marine Policy, 38235-245. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2012.05.040 Conlin, J. (2008, January 27). Can darwins lab survive success?. New york times. Retrieved from http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/travel/27green.html?_r=0 Hearn, Alex. (2008, June 13). The rocky path to sustainable fisheries management and conservation in the Galpagos Marine Reserve. Ocean And Coastal Management, 51567574. doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.06.009 Jones, Peter J.S. (2013). A Governance Analysis of the Galpagos Marine Reserve. Marine Policy, doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2012.12.019 Spill from oil tanker imperils rare wildlife in the galapagos. (2001, January 22). New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/22/world/spill-from-oil-tankerimperils-rare-wildlife-in-the-galapagos.html Stearns, S. C. (2005, June). Yale galapagos project. Retrieved from http://cmi2.yale.edu/galapagos_public/data.html