Galapagos - Ecuadorean Presidential Decree

[Mossman]

Here's an official notice, finally:

(http://www.galapagos.org/news/07_2007_Diving.html)

Galapagos Conservancy
July 19, 2007
An Important Update on Diving In the Galapagos Islands

On Tuesday, July 10, 2007, the director of the Galapagos National Park (GNP) began the first in a series of stringent enforcement efforts by suspending dive trips operated by tour companies not in possession of the appropriate permits. The Galapagos National Park is enforcing current legislation which requires that tour operators have a specific diving permit to run dive charters inside the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) and Park. Previously, many operators have carried out dive tourism with only a land tour permit.

This decision will affect only those yachts which do not have the appropriate permits and is effective immediately. It is anticipated that by the middle of 2008, several activities in the GMR – including diving – will have their regulatory language and procedures established. Until that time, the GNP is required by law to control and sanction boats that do not follow regulations. Tour operators and agencies are only able to sell tour packages for authorized activities.
It is recommended that those visitors who have planned a dive trip to Galapagos contact their tour operators for the latest information. Other information can be obtained directly from the Galapagos National Park offices: Raquel Molina, Director: director@spng.org.ec and Edwin Naula, Head of Public Use: enaula@spng.org.ec.

 

[baitballer]

Does not make it sound like they are going to change anything in the near future does it? I think I can kiss my trip goodbye..........and ever visiting the Galapagos islands since there is no way I am EVER going to support them again. I would be too worried about it happening again and more to the point if shark finning is allowed there will be nothing to see fairly soon anyway. Think I'll book a trip to Cocos instead!

 

[NTSilver]

Does not make it sound like they are going to change anything in the near future does it? I think I can kiss my trip goodbye..........and ever visiting the Galapagos islands since there is no way I am EVER going to support them again. I would be too worried about it happening again and more to the point if shark finning is allowed there will be nothing to see fairly soon anyway. Think I'll book a trip to Cocos instead!

Cocos is fabulous - we went in May and are returning next year. You see the same pelagic travelers. However, no sea lions or penguins.

 

[tiggerbella]

Well, this is disconcerting. I guess like any government, including the little borough where I live, they have rules that they refuse to enforce leaving the people who are not as informed or who are not given easy access to the facts to suffer the financial consequences. I.e. I am trying to figure out why they didn't shut the non compliant operators down sooner. Could it have been financial? I am guessing that yes, it was financial.

But this is a valuable lesson to me. I will never book a trip when their are question marks around the trip---- I had this weird feeling about some of the answers that I was given when I asked about permits.

I would like to thank the aggressor person for offering up the option to travel with them and the few openings that they have; however, as I may not get my money back, and a sour note, in my mind, has been placed around the Galapagos, I will have to pass. I will probably be looking to go a little less expensive and probably to the Turks and Caicos OR something a bit more on the familiar side and to Little Cayman.

Unless there is some way that we can recoup our tour that I do not forsee.....

 

[chadbeck]

I agree. Although my trip isn't until next year I feel I have to make a choice switch boats and hope for the best or find another location? I do feel like the owners of the deep blue were cutting some corners. This was a boat built in 2003 for dive trips. Why if you were building this expensive boat would you not just get the correct permit? I just wish there were better anwsers to the questions..........

 

[cowjazz]

There are a lot of unanswered questions: Why were these banned boats allowed to operate so long without the correct permits? Why did the Galapagos National Park/Marine Sanctuary provide training in SCUBA diving in the Galapagos to the staff of these boats if they had the wrong permit? If this to enhance the protection of the islands by reducing tourism, why are the boats still allowed to do land tours? Did these boats know they had the wrong permits? How in the heck did the three "legal" boats know what permit to get, and the others did not? If mismanagement, or lax management, allowed the boats to conduct diving tours without the correct permits, why put the burden on tourist with prepaid trips, and the Ecuadorians who depend on dive tourism for their livelihood?

Its hard to be mad at Deep Blue, Galapagos Adventures or Raquel Molina until these questions are answered.

I've been assured there will be a refund if my trip is canceled. Fine. I just have to decide when I want to put that money back on the Galapagos roulette wheel. What guarantee do I have that if I book with Aggressor or Peter Hughes that their permits won't somehow be found inadequate? It appears their permits expire in January, then what? For me, it is not a question of if, but when I will attempt another trip to the Galapagos. Jeez, I hope this isn't like that old girlfriend that always cheats on you, but you always end up letting her back in your life because you THIS time, things will be different. Then you kicked in the nuts once again...

Now I read that the Galapagos National Park Service will review the diving regulations, and they should come up with a plan in mid 2008. How comfortable are you if you have a trip book after mid 2008, when I would want to go? I read an interview from 2006 with Raquel Molina, and she stated several times she would manage with transparency. So far, this decision has been as transparent as mud.

Now, Mr. President Correa, pick up that damn pen.

Phew, I'm done ranting. I've made myself ill again.

 

[Area51Bill]

Writing this from Quito. Just returned yesterday from Galapagos. We were only allowed to snorkell and do land trips. All boats except Aggressors were forbidden tank diving. We were advised to leave all regulators at the hotel or they would be confiscated. We were supposed to go to Darwin and Wolf, but that too was cancelled.
On the plus side, the snorkelling was very good in most places, and the land excursions proved to be very informative, with excellent opportunities for close ups of the birds and mammels. Even had a penguin rub up against my mask and face while snorkelling.
If you plan on tank diving, forget it. Our group was given lemons, and decided to make lamonade, and we ended up having a great time. Just be sure to check with your trip organizer, and leave your regs at home

 

[tiggerbella]

Since the answers that I was given to my questions about permits where 2nd hand or even 3rd I am not going to include them here as they could be considered hearsay.

But a friend of mine who was not going on the trip mentioned something about permits and the aggressor and the PH being the only ones who had the right ones, well last November or something. But it does appear that some other operators do have the permits.

My comment as to the government or National Park not enforcing the rules due to financial reasons was a crack at them, because they were still getting some money from the boats without the proper dive permits as these same boats still had to operate with A permit even if it wasn't THE permit.

Area51Bill: Thank you thank you I was wondering if they would allow the boats to go out and take you on a tour even if you didn't dive, this answers the question.

Glad that you had fun despite the dissapointing turn out.

But I am definately going to have to do more research in determining why they think that diving does more damage than land excursions and snorkeling.

In an area with heavy coral reefs, this I understand. But my limited knowledge of the Galapagos is that there isn't much coral out there.

Well, now that I have a day off, I should sit down an read more about the dangers of divers in the Galapagos to the environment.

 

[Mossman]

But I am definately going to have to do more research in determining why they think that diving does more damage than land excursions and snorkeling.

In an area with heavy coral reefs, this I understand. But my limited knowledge of the Galapagos is that there isn't much coral out there.

There's more to an ocean ecology than just coral.

Apparently there were 17 liveaboards making the trip to Darwin, where there is exactly one dive site, "The Arch". Each of those liveaboards would spend at least one full day at Darwin, some two or three or more days there. Do the math. That's a lot of divers to be diving the same site day after day after day. It's a very real human impact on the very fragile ecology there, just as real as shark finning or overpopulation though its effects may be less immediately tangible.

There's no doubt that the government's heavy-handed approach left plenty of people in a bad situation, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't reasonably regulate access to Darwin in the future.

 

[WaterKtn]

Well, they don't effectively regulate fishing, so its very difficult to believe that they are so concerned about 17 boats diving Darwin. Maybe if they were concerned about the driftnets and longlines that are out there, I would believe it, but they aren't. Apparently, as well, a Celebrity cruise liner was caught allowing people to sport fish for sharks in 2006. The GPS said that they were going to suspend their permit for a couple months and fine them - Celebrity appealed and subsequently they were not punished at all.

This is not about the environmental impact of diving.