GALÁPAGOS, Ecuador,
Jan. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On this
day, during a heart-warming ceremony that took place on the Sierra
Negra ship of the National Directorate of Galapagos National Park,
the President of the Republic, Guillermo
Lasso Mendoza, signed the presidential decree ordering the
creation of the new Galapagos Marine Reserve. Attendees to the
meeting were among presidents and public figures, Ivan Duque, President of Colombia, former United States President,
Bill Clinton, the Minister of
Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, Gustavo Manrique and national authorities of the
tourism and fishing sectors respectively.
The newly created marine reserve adds 60,000 square kilometers
to the Galapagos Marine Reserve. The marine reserve is divided into
two halves, the first 30,000 square kilometers set a strict
prohibition to any fishing activities; the other 30,000 is where
longline fishing is strictly forbidden. The marine reserve is
located at the northwest corner of the archipelago and protects the
biological corridor which lies between the Galapagos Islands in
Ecuador, Cocos Island in
Costa Rica, and other islands of
neighboring countries like Coiba, Panama, and Malpelo, Colombia, which are part of The Eastern
Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor which is used by numerous species
like sea turtles, stingrays, whales and sharks during their
migration routes.
Minister Gustavo Manrique added
that the reserve was called "Brotherhood" (Hermandad in Spanish)
for being the result of joint efforts of diverse sectors of the
society like artisanal and large-scale fishermen, tourism,
environmentalists, among others. He further added: "In our
government, we promote open dialogue and reaching agreements. This
marine reserve is proof of our commitment to reconciliation. During
the COP26 summit we announced the
creation of this marine reserve and we have delivered."
The ribbon-cutting ceremony had a special touch because the
ribbon that was cut by the president of Ecuador and minister Manrique, was created by
Galapagos' craftsmen using recycled materials. Actress Bo Derek, marine biologist Silvia Earl were among the attendees to the
opening ceremony.
Communications Department
Ministry of Environment,
Water and Ecological Transition
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SOURCE Ministerio de Ambiente, Agua y Transición Ecológica del
Ecuador