Ecuador’s navy is actively protecting the waters around the Galapagos Islands from illegal fishing by foreign ships, with training exercises conducted with neighboring allies. The Galapagos Islands are home to a diverse marine reserve, and the navy began its training operations in 2018 after capturing a Chinese ship carrying 300 tonnes of fish in a protected area the year before. This ship, renamed the Hualcopo, was permanently handed over to Ecuador in 2020.
Captain Guillermo Miranda highlighted that the presence of foreign fishing vessels threatens marine ecosystems, impacting migratory species that are crucial to the Galapagos marine ecosystem. The navy, along with US, Peruvian, and Colombian allies, conducted training exercises to intercept and board fishing boats in the region. The Galapagos Islands, known for inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, see a large fishing fleet, predominantly Chinese, sailing nearby each year.
China asserts that its fishing vessels comply with international waters regulations and do not catch protected marine species. However, Ecuador’s government notes that these fishing boats often turn off their radars to avoid being monitored. The collaboration between Ecuador’s navy and its allies is crucial in safeguarding the marine biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands and preserving this unique ecosystem from the threat posed by illegal fishing activities.
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