GALAPAGOS (24 Dec 2000) -- Disagreements over fishing quotas have exploded into violence and fishing coops have vowed to ignore fishing quotas and continue fishing until year's end. Last month, angry fishers went on a rampage after Ecuador's government agreed to a 30-ton extension of the original 50-ton quota but refused to allow fishers to continue lobster fishing through December 31. Galapagos Marine Park staff were threatened with death and park offices and staff housing were burned down. The fishers also targeted eco tourists harassing them at boat departure points. Some were prevented from boarding vessels bound for park reserves. During the last year the fishing population has nearly doubled from 795 fishers and 222 boats to 1387 fishers (486 divers) and 417 boats. Conservationists describe the situation as a gold rush and cite huge profits as a major contributing factor to the quota disputes. | | Illegal shark finning threatens shark populations in the Galapagos. "For nearly a decade, every effort has been made at local, national and international levels to include the fishing community of Galapagos in the management of the resources upon which it depends. Today, greed and the taste of power has brought all these efforts - and the many accords and agreements they generated - to nought," said officials at the Galapagos Conservation Trust. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
