Galapagos - Ecuadorean Presidential Decree

[WaterKtn]

I (and several hundred other disappointed divers) would be very interested in how you are handled during the refund process.[/QUOTE]

I'm interested too! I will definitely keep you up to date.

 

[ChrisM]

Any word on the Lammer Law? I assume they are within the current ban, not having heard otherwise, but someone on another board said they contacted LL (last week) and were told that the trip was not canceled.....

 

[wingfootedgodhead]

The only reason to spend $5000 on a Galapagos trip is to dive Wolf and Darwin. Otherwise no one would bother. As a Deep Blue passenger scheduled to go out late August, I certainly expect that if the trip schedule does not include diving or features a 'limited' itinerary that we are offered the option of cancelation and a full refund. Anything less would be a rip off.

 

[Downsouth]

Here's a better translation:

"For now, the situation is very problematic, the GNP is wanting to eliminate the diving in the Galapagos because it was never legal according to the government and there are only three liveaboards that do it legally and these are the Aggressor I and II and the Sky Dancer. At the present, almost all of us Galapagos guides have been without work and it's possible that the problem will take a year or more to work itself out, so personally I'm leaving the Galapagos to look for work elsewhere because until the problem is resolved, I have no income here. If you're looking to dive in the Galapagos it has to been on one of those three boats. I wish you luck with this . . ."

TKS for the translation Mossman, I had no time to rewrite it all!

Illegals? They're Ecuadorian nationals, trying to make a livelihood in an impoverished third-world country. It must be nice to come to an island filled with fish from the rich American perspective that fish are meant to be seen and not eaten, but when you have millions of starving human mouths to feed, it's not that easy to enforce draconian environmental restrictions on fishing so that a few rich Americans can come sightseeing.

Of course it's something else. Bonaire is a tiny island with a small population, owned by a wealthy European country that can afford to subsidize the natives and enforce marine park restrictions. Ecuador has millions of people to feed, and with the U.S. boycotting cocaine imports, it doesn't have many resources to sell.

OK, about third-world countries I can write, since I was born and live in one. And I can assure you that comparing to what was done by "major" countries (such as US), the so called 3rd world has done much less damage. Count forests, polution, carbon quotas, whatever, you name it. But this does not allow ANY country to use its situation as AN EXCUSE to mess with nature, no matter how "impoverished" or how hard the "draconian blablabla" is. BTW, I did NOT write about fishing not to starve, I wrote about invading species (such as plants and bugs), about conservation and the "accidental shark fishing".

Illegals = people against the law, right? Well, since there are migration rules to the islands and there are some thousands that are not allowed to be there by either the park or the government, yes, I called them illegals.

Yes, money might help conservation. But again, if that was the only issue, US should have the best preservation ever, right? Unfortunatelly that´s far from the truth! Nobody should hide behind any excuses to destroy nature (no matter if financial or corruption and oil supporters). There are several places where conservation and 3rd world live well together. I can name some only here in Brasil...

Just to make somethings right: Ecuador isn´t much into cocaine, that would be Colombia.

Peace, brother. Life is simple, peolpe make it complicated!

 

[ChrisM]

It's interesting, Ecuador is pressured by fishing interests to the west and oil interests in the oriente region to the east. If handled correctly, Ecuador has a lot of natural resources to sustain its people with. that's a big if.

 

[Mossman]

Just to make somethings right: Ecuador isn´t much into cocaine, that would be Colombia.

For now.

http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/fs/48356.htm

 

[baitballer]

Has anyone hear anything about these supposed meetings that were supposed to be happening on Friday, then monday, then Tuesday etc between the operators and various governement ministers/officers to be told what is going on?

I have to say I have my doubts where these meetings even excist?

I do echo the post above though, then only reason I am going to Galapagos is to Dive Wolf & Darwin (Which now looks like it has no chance) and that is why I booked a liveaboard 18 months ago. If it now turns out that this cannot happen but I have to go and pay the same money I will be very unhappy.

At this precise moment in time a decision of any kind, either way, would be a welcome relief! Oh and a bit of honesty from the operators and the governement would be nice too, after all we are the customers i.e. the people that give them a business and pays their bills!

 

[EnronX]

Latest article I've seen today: from the Discovery Channel web-site



Ecuador: Galapagos Shark Endangered
AFP, AFP

type size: [A] [A] [A]

July 24, 2007 — President Rafael Correa's decree legalizing the sale of shark fins caught by accidental fishing has put the Galapagos shark in peril of extinction, environmentalist groups warned Monday in Ecuador.

Prized as an aphrodisiac and gourmet delicacy in Asia, shark fins had been illegally harvested until Correa's decree, which he said will directly benefit 200,000 Ecuadoran fishermen and their families.

The presidential decree lifts a ban on the sale and export of shark fins caught accidentally outside Galapagos territorial waters. Deliberate fishing for shark fins is still prohibited.

"In theory, any type of fishing is banned in Galapagos, but it's difficult to monitor which species are caught and now, the decree could lead to more illegal fishing in the area," Ecological Action project coordinator Ricardo Buitron said.

He said the measure will likely entice fishermen to Galapagos for shark fins they would sell elsewhere in Ecuador claiming they were caught accidentally outside the archipelago's restricted waters.

Buitron said Correa's decision "will increase the danger of extinction of the (Galapagos shark) species" since authorities will have a hard time "determining which fins have been caught in compliance with regulations."

But for External Relations Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the new measure "will help make the marketing of shark fins more transparent, stop the black market and establish efficient control methods."

"Profits from the sale of shark fins," she told the Teleamazonas TV channel, "will go directly to the fishermen ... and not to the pockets of middlemen and smugglers."

Shark fins fetch 50 dollars apiece on the black market, compared to the croaker, an expensive fish that sells at seven dollars a kilogram (2.2 pounds) in Ecuador.

The Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean last month were put on a list of endangered world heritage sites by the U.N.'s culture organisation, UNESCO, because of the growing pressure from tourism.

Situated 625 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the 19 islands have a unique wildlife and were the first ever site to be placed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1978.

 

[cowjazz]

Has anyone hear anything about these supposed meetings that were supposed to be happening on Friday, then monday, then Tuesday etc between the operators and various governement ministers/officers to be told what is going on?

Nope, nothing. I thought someone would have heard from their booking agents by now. My LDS has no new news from Galapagos Adventures.

 

[Fionab]

Nope, nothing. I thought someone would have heard from their booking agents by now. My LDS has no new news from Galapagos Adventures.

My group is getting frustrated with the lack of information as well