01 Nov
2006 - Washington, DC – A former US Coast Guard
cutter, overhauled and refitted by WWF, began
patrolling the waters of the Galapagos Islands
today.
The 29-metre-long (or 95-foot)
Yoshka will be used to help Galapagos Island park
officials outrun and catch those illegally fishing
in and around the island’s national marine reserve.
“Park officials finally have
the means to catch poachers and combat the illegal
fishing that threatens the outstanding marine
life of the Galapagos Islands,” said Lauren Spurrier,
Managing Director of WWF’s Galapagos programme.
“This boat is faster than anything else out there.”
Patrolling the marine park with
the newly refitted vessel will help protect wildlife
from such illegal activities as shark-finning
(killing sharks just for their fins) or industrial
fishing for highly-valued fish, and destructive
fishing practices like longlines that kill non-targeted
wildlife.
In the past two years, park
officials have seized more than 23,586 shark fins
and 668,892 sea cucumbers illegally fished inside
the Galapagos Marine Reserve.
“Illegal fishing is a serious
threat in the archipelago, so we’re really grateful
for WWF’s support in rebuilding the Yoshka,” said
Raquel Molina, Director of the Galapagos National
Park. “With the Yoshka patrolling the park, we’ll
be better able to monitor activities and enforce
laws within the reserve.”
Overhauled in a dry dock in
Ecuador, the Yoshka can reach a top speed of 22
knots, and navigate for 7–12 days without having
to refuel. This will enable law enforcement officials
to extend their patrols to the park’s outer areas.
The Galapagos Marine Reserve
is the third largest reserve in the world, encompassing
an area roughly the size of the US State of New
York. A stunning number of animals live on and
around the Galapagos Islands, including some 300
species of fish, seven species of sharks, rays,
marine turtles, penguins and marine iguanas. The
archipelago, located 1,000km west of Ecuador,
is also home to some of the largest colonies of
seabirds anywhere in the world.
WWF has worked in Galapagos
with various partners since 1961 in the area of
protected area management, policy, capacity building,
environmental education and research. Over the
years, the global conservation organization has
supported scientific research and strengthened
the capacity of Galapagos National Park staff,
and has worked to minimize threats to the islands
like eradication of exotic species and illegal
fishing.
Mike Ross, Press Office
WWF-US
