There are a number of organisations that seek to protect and conserve the delicate marine environment surrounding the Galapagos Islands. As well as monitoring the various species that live in the marine reserve, it is very important to work together with the people who depend on the sea to survive and make money, such as fishermen.

Marine conservation in Galapagos

For the future of Galapagos, it is important that the fishing industry be as sustainable as possible. For fishing to be sustainable, fishermen should be able to catch enough fish to make a living from, but not catch so many fish that the fish population is negatively affected. Catching too many fish is called overfishing. Without scientific research, it can be hard for fishermen to know if they are overfishing in an area.

Some species such as the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (which are fished for their fins) and the Brown Sea Cucumber in the Galapagos Islands have been seriously overfished and are now considered vulnerable or endangered. These two species can be sold for a lot of money, which makes them in demand. While they live in the protected waters of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, the area of the reserve is so large that patrolling and monitoring it is very difficult and expensive.

School of hammerheads © Galapagos National Park

How is the Marine Reserve trying to stop overfishing?

Since 2009, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has used satellite surveillance systems to track the routes and activities of fishing vessels and to check whether they are overfishing in one area. It provides GPS information that helps identify fishermen in protected waters. WWF also promote different and more sustainable fishing methods, such as the use of hooks rather than nets. Fishermen have been encouraged to value fish quality over fish quantity to try to reduce overfishing. For example, they have been asked to consider supplying local restaurants with whole live lobsters (which sell for a higher price) rather than just large quantities of their tails.

Marine Zones have been created around the Galapagos Islands which allow different sets of activities depending on where they are placed. This can mean that both conservation and commercial fishing can take place.

Case Study: International Coastal Clean Up Day

When litter and dumped materials start to pile up on the beach, this can be devastating for the marine environment. Plastic bags left in the water can confuse animals such as turtles who may try to feed on them, causing the animal to choke. As some materials rot and decompose in the water, chemicals can be released which pollute the shorelines. Rubbish can get wrapped around the roots of mangroves, restricting their growth.

To try to reduce the damage that littering can cause, the Galapagos Marine Reserve teamed up with Fundacion Galapagos to sponsor a day of beach cleaning under the International Coastal Clean Up campaign. This is now an annual event and has removed over 85,000kg of rubbish from shores, mangroves and underwater areas so far. Fishermen from Baltra and Santa Cruz Islands have also been given incentives to collect underwater debris and rubbish on their boats. These events not only clean up the areas that most need it but also raise awareness about littering to tourists and the local community.

Beach © Vanessa Green

The Galapagos Islands face many environmental threats. Ecosystem degradation could be caused by: climate change, deforestation, pollution, overfishing, eutrophication and the introduction of invasive species.

Human threats

Around 30,000 people live in the Galapagos and the Islands receive almost 200,000 visitors a year. This is putting pressure on resources and is increasing many environmental threats. Anthropogenic (or man-made) changes have been the biggest factors affecting the size of animal and plant populations since the Islands were first discovered in 1535.

The humid zones (the areas of highest plant biodiversity) have been affected by humans. To meet the demands of a growing human population, parts of the humid zones have been cleared for farming. Agriculture reduces biodiverse forests to areas of monoculture, in which there is very little biodiversity. This reduces the resilience of ecosystems, which are then less able to cope with environmental threats.

Invasive species taking over

Humans have also introduced invasive animal and plant species to Galapagos, many of which aggressively out-compete native species or negatively impact on the Island’s habitats. Invasive species pose the greatest threat to biodiversity in the Galapagos.

Himalayan hill raspberry (mora) © GCT

The hill raspberry (Rubus niveus) known locally as mora, is an invasive plant species that is spreading rapidly throughout the humid zone to the detriment of native species, particularly the Scalesia or daisy trees that make up forest areas in the humid zone. These and other native plants struggle to compete for space, water, nutrients and sunlight.

There are also many problems with introduced animals in Galapagos – from introduced insects such as the parasitic fly (Philornis downsi) and fire ants to mammals such as rats, cats, dogs, pigs and goats. Invasive species are often introduced accidentally. They can be unwittingly carried on boats and planes and can be difficult to eradicate once they arrive.

Native and endemic Galapagos populations have declined as a consequence of invasive species population growth. Many of these are now critically endangered.