(translated from an article in El Comercio, and Ecuadorian newspaper – published on 28 August 2019)

The ships of the Naval Squadron of the Navy of Ecuador captured four foreign fishing vessels, within the Galapagos Exclusive Economic Zone, at a distance of 188 nautical miles from the baseline of the Galapagos Islands, in fishing operations considered illegal.

This was reported by the Institution on Wednesday, August 28, 2019. The capture was made the morning of this Wednesday, during patrol operations for the control of maritime spaces in the Galapagos Region.

The vessels inspected and captured are Peruvian.  They include the:

• Juan Carlos II – in which 30 sharks with fins cut were discovered. Seven citizens of Peruvian nationality were aboard the vessel.
• María Bonita I, with 17 shark fins cut and fishing gear in the water. Six citizens of Peruvian nationality were on board.
• Dove I :, with a ton of fishing, 35 headless sharks and black rays with eight Peruvian citizens and a Venezuelan on board.
• Angela with fishing equipment in the water.

The Navy also informed that it will maintain its naval means to exercise sovereignty rights in the country's jurisdictional waters, protect marine resources and counteract illegal activities at sea.

CNH TOURS ADDS: 

While the Eastern Pacific waters are very heavily (over?) fished for tuna and other species by vessels from around the world, the Galapagos Marine reserve remains a refuge for pelagic (deep sea) species (sharks, tuna, bill fish…).   Galapagos-based fishermen are given exclusive access to these waters, in exchange for agreeing to limit their ship size and fishing technologies.  The result is a reasonably luctrative fishing industry in Galapagos, serving all the local needs along with some export, while maintaining rich intact marine ecosystems in the reserve.   

Fresh caught tuna for sale at the fisherman's wharf in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos