Ricardo Nuñez Galápagos Commentary

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A lot have been said about Galapagos but, important and relevant things at this time are missing about the islands.

I'd like to address that, the more threatening about conservation sometimes, is not only the obvious threats that we already know very well; "pollution, uncontrolled tourism and resources exploitation, etc.". I think, that the most threatening in the case of Galapagos at this moment, is not but the right perspective to manage the resource, and to explain this I will give clear examples and will elaborate later.

First, lets think about this: The Galapagos National Park (GNP) is divided in two zones:

1. Marine zone
2. Land zone

The very efficient conservation work has been done on the second zone, the terrestrial. The marine zone has been neglected for a (too)long time and out of perspective, and this is the main source of food for the most part of the fauna that we are pretending to preserve. This marine zone is without protection.

Without having a Marine Park, managed, regulated, and implemented like the land Park zone; how can we talk about a satisfactory protection of the entire Park fauna?.

The Galapagos Park is a Marine Park, more than a land park, by nature.

Example:

There are three (to mention three for now) "endemic" species (of high scientific value) that could be endangered of extinction any time, cause by their feeding areas that are unprotected, this species are: the Galapagos penguin, flightless cormorant and the marine iguana.

Why?..Because this species BREED and FEED in the coastal areas; beaches, bays, intertidal areas, etc. Therefore, if this areas are not protected, how can we think that this species area unthreatened and not in danger of extinction?.

And now, I will point to the most important part of this real perspective and why I have chosen this three species as the most appropriate of the lack of a right perspective in the Galapagos.

The Penguin. population: 2000 pairs approximately (M. Harris)

Nesting area: Westerly islands (Bolivar Channel, Fernandina and Isabela Islands). Main area of breeding: Elizabeth Bay, Isabela island. Apx. 800-1000 pairs.

Flightless Cormorant.
population: 800 pairs approximately.
Nesting area: Westerly islands (Bolivar Channel, fernandina and Isabela island).
Main breeding area: West and Eats coast of Isabela and Fernandina (Bolivar Channel).

Marine Iguana-
Population: not a well calculated population, estimated around 200.000 individuals.
Breeding area: almost all coast and beaches of the archipelago.

This species has a few subspecies of low population (probably around 5000-10.000 Ind.) each. That are in a close evolution change to become exclusive endemic of the islands where they live. Those islands are Tower and Hood. Being the last one the most marine of all the population and of, therefore, high scientific value. And more likely, the one species that originated the rest.

As we can see, this three species have a very low population, AND also, a very short habitat area, in special the first two species mentioned. On the third, the preoccupation is on the two subspecies of Hood and Tower islands. I have decided to mention three examples, thus, making more relevant the vulnerability of the many species that live on, and from the coast of the islands.

Now, the other observation is that this species depend directly of the "HEALTH" of their FEEDING areas, that is the SEA, its coasts, bays, coves, mangroves, currents, etc.

Who controls the fishing boats and ships large and small that get close to the coast (in paper, the marine park begins at 15 miles from the beaches) and discharge bilges full of diesel and oil?,etc. where do this ships and boats throw their garbage, where do they pump their bilges?, who checks their nets and catch, who knows if they are not catching endemic sharks.

Do you know that Galapagos have two endemic sharks?:

Galapagos Requiem Shark (Caercharhinus galapagensis) and,

Galapagos Horn Shark (Heterodontus qouyi).

If one of this ships sinks or wreck close to this low population species and an oil spill would happen, of what consequences and impact will this wreck be on this mentioned species, and others?. It could just be fatal. Isn't the West sea area of the archipelago where, mainly the large tuna fishing boats have stated, that: "they need to get close to the shores because the tuna follows the upwelling Cromwell submarine current all the way in?".

Think about it, and for a while.

In fact, how can we be thinking that we are protecting the fauna when its feeding areas are not?.

Another example of this lack of perspective that was set by earlier Park administrations ('70-'80 yrs.)in Galapagos, that left a legacy of a partial vision of the Galapagos conservation dilemma, is that " TOURISM IS the worst threat for the islands environment".

For this I will illustrate the following example: If you had been on the islands, you should know that is completely forbidden to take a "grain of sand" with you on your way out, and for this, the park implemented a check out system like other airports check for weapons, to get this "bad" tourists. OK. but what about the cargo ships that "bring" every month thousands of tons of organisms; garbage, animals and plants that do not belong to the archipelago? who controls this big mass of appliances, food, animals, diseases, (insects, mice), etc. That has and occurs every month?. By sea, as well as by air(cargo), although the ships has a lot more volume and impact. We shouldn't surprise that the last "unknown" disease that the Galapagos Giant Tortoises had, was caused by one of this ways of incoming organisms into the islands.

What is more urgent and important?

What is being done to research ways to exterminate and/or control effectively, as possible, the many introduced animals and plants. Organisms that do not pay a cent to the park and, are and had been, destroying the environment for a long time now. Tourist at least PAY(finance conservation and managing (GNP) programs) and are UNDER CONTROL. The others do not pay and are not controlled.

Of course, with this I do not pretend to say that I disagree with the present regulations to control tourism activities. But, that the perspective got lost sometime ago in Galapagos, seems like is true, so far. But, for all disease there is a cure, but death. And the first step to this cure begins by accepting the error or acknowledging the cause, it is the first right step towards looking for the cure or solution. Thanks to one of the past Government Administrations in the '80 that had enough vision, the Galapagos Marine Reserve decree was created in paper. But little or nothing had been done to implement it and regulate it to keep that vision alive. ONE DECADE had pass us by, and seems like Ecuador will get into the 21st century without a real implemented and regulated Marine Park or Reserve.

To illustrate once more, how humans lost the perspective regarding the meaning of the words "Patriotism" or "Civic mindedness", I will say what Mr. Anton Wilson wrote: If someone burns the flag of its own country it will be called traitor, and in the past not long ago, it would had even been executed.

If someone inthe name of "production", burns, exploits, exterminates or simply wipes out natural resources of its own country "that FLAG REPRESENTS", as well as in the past or in the present, could be mentioned for a medal or award, etc.

In the past we were destroying the resources out of ignorance, in the present there is no excuse.

Now, lets ponder a bit more about the amount of coastal areas and endemic and indigenous species that depend from the ocean waters of the islands and their

productivity or well being. What would happen when one of this big ships (cargo, fishing, tourist, etc.) wreck, throw their bilge or sewers into the waters, when the Tuna fleets exterminates the few fishes left in this Galapagos waters. What will happen with the Galapagos Albatross(endemic), the Galapagos sharks(endemics), sea lions, Galapagos gulls(endemic), lava heron(endemic), Galapagos marine iguana(endemic), Galapagos penguin(endemic), Flightless cormorant(endemic), Boobies, Tropic Birds, Frigates, etc., etc.?

As today, is very difficult to see sharks around the islands. Not even scuba diving one can see as much as only 10 years ago. Not mentioning 20 years ago. The lobstering, that before one could catch them by hand on lowtide, now to get 5 its needed to dive hours. And this is the main reason why the lobstering fishermen started to get into diving instead for the now famous "sea cucumber", that started to get attention to the unprotected and long time forgotten marine environment of Galapagos. And once this cucumber is finished, what next?.

In first place we got to ask ourselves why the lobsters(3 species) were almost wiped out.

When the Galapagos National Park could be called: " The Marine Park" best manage (or one of the best) of the world, as it is now but as a Land Park; then and only then we will be satisfied to say the Galapagos is unthreatened. But actually, this is risky to say, as the way the world is spinning.

Anyway, for this to happen first, there has to be priorities and a right perspective. And, to get the financial ground to start the Galapagos Marine Park the GNP has to start getting the already little money tourism produces and belongs to this administration, since a good percentage goes to administrations of others parks on continental Ecuador.

And second, for the ones who believe that the Marine Park is too vast and demands large costs to be manage and patrolling by the GNP a proposal would be to include small and medium tourist boats that cruise all around the archipelago day and night and all year round, equipped with radios, cameras, naturalist guides, etc. To do the patrolling with no costs to the Park( THIS PEOPLE ARE THE REAL MOTIVATED TO PROTECT THE RESOURCE FROM WHERE THEY MAKE A LIVING) and inform and film about irregularities to the Park offices. This means to give a higher responsibility to the naturalist onboard and its crew(they will become marine park wardens as well as captains boat owners, etc.) This people that are the ones working directly on the area everyday and have the education and motivation can help control the area and then the National Park and the Marine will penalize. The media(national and international) has an important role here because they can document this infractions, so this Ships go unpennalized. Because the resources is not only a Park administration responsibility, is each and everyone of us responsibility. Because, is our Land, our Country, our Planet, we are protecting and defending. Not only our flag.

Yours truly,


Ricardo Nuñez Cristiansen
PO Box 5742
GUAYAQUIL-ECUADOR
FAX# 5934-863236 ;e-mail: rnunezc gye.satnet.net
For editors information only:
Yours truly, a mainland resident 5 years ago, lived at Galapagos for approximately 10 years in the following areas of work:
Tourist boat owner/operator
Tourist boat skipper
Naturalist guide
diving guide
and surfer, in short i am just another coastal animal protecting its enviroment.