Estudio Socioeconómico Sector Pesquero De Galápagos

Project for the conservation of the Galapagos Marine Reserve 2004-2009
1

Analysis of the current Socio economic situation of the “Galapagos Artisan Fishing Sector”
Research prepared for
The Galapagos National Park “Project for the Conservation of the Galapagos Marine Reserve in the Republic of Ecuador” Supported by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency

Presented to
Project JICAGalapagos National Park

Xavier Castro 2008

2

Executive Summary

F

or more than ten years, several organizations have executed support actions in the Galapagos Islands with the aim of improving the capacity building of the Galapagos Artisan Fishing Sector and improving the communication channels between them and the administrators and users of the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR).Simultaneously a “Management Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Galapagos Marine Reserve” 1 was implemented with the highest aim of “Protecting and conserving the costal & marine ecosystems of the archipelago and its biological diversity for the benefit of humanity, the local population, science and education.” The Management Plan includes a Co-Management System conformed by aParticipatory Management Committee2 (JMP) and the Inter-Institutional Management Authority3 (AIM). This management mechanism that includes a zoning strategy has been adopted with the purpose of having a responsible administration of the GMR and its resources. Certainly, all these achievements have contributed to a better management of the Marine Reserve resources, however, many disagreements stillexist in Galapagos between Conservation Sector and the Fishing Community and, unfortunately, sometimes the type of conflicts have reached undesirable levels. A large proportion of the local populations of the Galapagos Province are economically dependent on the Marine Reserve. As a result, it is necessary to ensure a balanced management between socio-economic stability of the local population andmaintenance of protected marine and terrestrial zones. The Artisan Fishing Sector is the main and older user of the GMR, more than one thousand fishermen and their families are part the Galapagos Fishing Community and they mainly depended on the fishing resources. We believe in the importance of considering the position, feelings, needs and current socioeconomic situation of the Fishing Sector inorder to approach and promote a responsible use of the fishing resources, therefore, it is imperative to be knowledgeable about the current perceptions and position of the Galapagos fishermen concerning the Management System applied in the GMR. With this investigation, JICA Project4 wants to provide present-day information concerning the perceptions, needs and socio-economic situation of theGalapagos Fishing Community. We expect this information to be used by the administrators of the Marine Reserve, or by any organization that is thinking of implementing support projects in favor of the Galapagos Fishing Sector.
The Management Plan was approved by means of the decision of the Inter-institutional Authority of Management laid out in Article 13 of the Law of the Special Regime for theconservation and sustainable Development of the Galapagos Province. Published under Official Record Number 173, 20th April 1999 2 The Participative Management Committee is the application of participation of users of the Galapagos Marine Reserve that in alliance with the Board of the PNG (Technical Secretariat of The Marine Reserve) hold as a main objective participation and responsibility of all theusers involved in the management of the area. 3 The Inter-institutional Management Authority is the maximum directive collegiate body responsible for policy definition relating to the Galapagos Marine Reserve. In virtue of its legal attributions, it holds the power to approve plans and remaining technical instructions, to authorize participative studies and generally define, superior and...