Ecuador expands Galapagos marine reserve
Nov 2, 2021 10:23 AM EDT
By Associated Press
Ecuador expands Galapagos marine reserve
By Associated Press
A hammerhead shark swims close to Wolf Island at Galapagos Marine Reserve in 2013. Photo by REUTERS/Jorge Silva
GLASGOW, Scotland — Ecuador’s president has announced that his country is expanding the marine reserve around the Galapagos Islands by almost half.
President Guillermo Lasso told the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow on Tuesday that the government has agreed with the fishery, tourism and conservation sectors to establish a new marine reserve in the Galapagos Islands of 60,000 square kilometers (more than 23,000 square miles).
Lasso said this would be added to an existing marine reserve of about 130,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles).
Experts says oceans are particularly vulnerable to climate change and the Galapagos Islands are considered one of the world’s biodiversity jewels.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/live-update/climate-summit-updates-biden-joins-world-leaders-in-glasgow/ecuador-expands-galapagos-marine-reserve
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Deployed in the fight against climate change, the new protected area is expected to cover about 60,000sq km.
The expansion of the protected area will be financed by trading debt for conservation, said Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso [File: Nacho Doce/Reuters]
Published On 2 Nov 2021
Ecuador’s president has announced plans to expand the marine-protected area around the Galapagos Islands, known for some of the planet’s most exotic animals.
The Galapagos Marine Reserve is already one of the largest in the world, at 133,000 square kilometres, but it will be expanded to include an additional 60,000sq km, Guillermo Lasso said on Monday.
The expansion will add the Cocos Ridge, which extends towards Costa Rica and is a feeding and migration area for endangered species.
The new reserve will be divided into two equal areas. In one, fishing will be totally banned, while in the other only fishing without so-called long lines will be allowed.
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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/2/ecuador-to-expand-marine-reserve-around-legendary-galapagos-islands