Just recently the president of Ecuador,
Rafael Correa, made an important decision for sharks and other marine animals
in one of the ocean’s most globally valuable locations. Correa announced that
all fishing, mining, and oil drilling is banned in a 15,000 square mile sector
of the ocean in the Galápagos
Islands. This new protected area has become the largest shark sanctuary in the
world and also combines with the rest of the protected areas in the Galápagos Islands to make 32
percent of the area protected (Silva).
An existing marine reserve of 80,000
square miles was created back in 1998. The area had previously allowed local
fishing at a small scale, but Correa and the government decided that with
global warming affecting the area, illegal shark hunting increasing, and other
fishing activities causing negative effects, it was best to establish full
protection for the area (Aldred).
Along with the various species of
sharks, this new reserve is home to nearly 3,000 species of fish, the only
marine iguana in the world, and many other species of mammals and invertebrates
(Silva). Also, around 99% of the land are of the Galápagos Islands is
protected and does not allow habitation by humans. The tourism on the islands
is also strictly regulated to be sure the environment is kept safe for the
biodiverse community it supports (Aldred).
This bold move is an important one
for sharks especially. Sharks have seen a decline in population across all of
the earth’s oceans. Every year, around 100 million sharks are killed and this
new protected site may allow for sharks to safely breed and bring their
population numbers back up again. The site is already home to 34 species of
sharks and this location is already sought out as a breeding and resting ground
for the sharks (Silva).
-Aldred, J. (2016, March 21). Ecuador creates Galápagos
marine sanctuary to protect sharks. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/21/ecuador-creates-galapagos-marine-sanctuary-to-protect-sharks
-Silva, C. (2016, March 21). Ecuador Announces World's
Biggest Shark Sanctuary In Galápagos [PHOTOS]. Retrieved March 27,
2016, from http://www.ibtimes.com/ecuador-announces-worlds-biggest-shark-sanctuary-galapagos-photos-2340421
Between your post and Cassie's presentation we have had some good information on shark conservation.
ReplyDelete