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Ecuador Expands Marine Highway Surrounding Galapagos Islands

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Touring the Galapagos Islands by small ship cruise

One of the world's greatest protected wildlife zones just got an upgrade. A much larger area of the Pacific Ocean around the Galapagos Islands will now be a marine highway, off-limits to most commercial fishing and exploitation. Galapagos Islands marine highway park expansion This January, as part of Ecuador's recent climate commitments at the COP26 in Glasgow, the country has expanded the marine reserve area that surrounds the Galapagos Islands. Ecuador's president, Guillermo Lasso said:
As of today, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador are going to protect and connect two of the most biologically significant habitats in the world, today we are declaring a marine reserve for an area of 60,000 square kilometers that are added to the ocean, the great climate regulator.
The expansion of the reserve will incorporate an additional 23,000 square miles of ocean. This adds to the already 50,000 square miles that surround the islands -- the location that inspired Charles Darwin's understanding of the evolution of the species and one of the world's most important ecosystems. In a ceremony that included representatives from Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, as well as former president Bill Clinton, the governments of these four countries committed to expanding the reserve and protecting many endangered species that use this area for their yearly migration routes. In a collaboration with the fishery industries, tourism, and conservationists, Ecuador will prohibit fishing altogether in certain areas and in others, prohibit fishing with long lines (a type of ocean fishing where dozens or even thousands of baited hooks sit in a single line and that is notorious for the incidental catching and killing of dolphins, sea turtles, and sharks, and other marine life). According to a UNESCO report on climate change in 2014, the Galapagos islands are one of the world's most affected ecosystems by climate change, sitting in the intersection of various ocean currents and in the eye of the El Niño climate phenomenon. The marine reserve is not only home to Whale Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, Eagle Rays, Mola Mola, Green Sea Turtles, Galapagos Penguins, and Tuna, but is also a carbon sink that could offset some of the rising temperatures related to climate change. Touring the Galapagos Islands by small ship cruise For travelers and tourists, this will mean more opportunities to see the fragile wildlife of these islands up close and personal; the species that depend on them will offer a more secure safe haven for their yearly migration. The expanded marine "highway" will extend northeast from the islands all the way to Costa Rica's Cocos Islands, another UNESCO heritage site in Latin America. Lasso also suggested the future development of trust that will finance the preserve and allow the participating countries to improve conservation infrastructure and technology on the islands. We don't know about you, but we are thrilled to see one of the world's most stunning and fragile ecosystems get the protection and commitment it deserves, hopefully preserving it for generations of travelers to come. Galapagos Islands Marine Iguana Ecuador To get an idea of what it's like to explore this area, see one of the multiple luxury travel articles we have posted on cruising the Galapagos Islands. We also have reviews of three land base options in our section with the best Ecuador luxury hotels.    

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