Anyone following the situation in the Galapagos?

[Jonathan Bird]

Hi All,
Not sure if you have been following the situation in the Galapagos, but the short story is that the Galapagos have been getting a lot of heat recently for their non-existant enforcement of the fishing laws and there was a question of whether they were going to lose their World Heritage Site status.

As a result, they decided to start enforcing the laws to an extent, and one of them was to stop allowing boats that were not properly permitted to carry out diving operations. Apparently a number of the smaller or lesser known dive boats were only permitted to do land tours, but were doing dive trips as well. (You would think the government would be more interested in the illegal fishing, but their word is something about enforcing fishing and diving laws equally equitably. There might be a little payback here for the dive boats that are always complaining about and reporting on the illegal fishing.)

Anyway, the national park people claim that the majority of dive boats were not permitted as dive boats. As a result, they have all been told that they cannot operate as dive boats until they get proper permits and that if they do, they will have their existing permits (land tour permits) revoked. They have even started using a patrol boat to enforce this. (Which is ironic since they claimed they didn't have the manpower or money to support a patrol boat to enforce fishing regulations in the past).

I have some friends that headed down to the Galapagos on a dive trip last week. Many of them had saved for years for the trip, paid more than they could afford because it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, bought new cameras, etc. and when they got there, the dive operator informed them that the trip was "snorkeling only." They are going to have a hard time making a claim on a travel insurance policy because the trip is not cancelled. Just an incredible bummer.

My understanding is that the Peter Hughes and the two Aggressor boats are the only operators not affected by this, as they had proper diving permits. I am glad that my next trip (not until 2009) is on Aggressor.

Anyone heard anything else?

Jonathan

[Daniel]

I have some friends that headed down to the Galapagos on a dive trip last week. Many of them had saved for years for the trip, paid more than they could afford because it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, bought new cameras, etc. and when they got there, the dive operator informed them that the trip was "snorkeling only." They are going to have a hard time making a claim on a travel insurance policy because the trip is not cancelled. Just an incredible bummer.


If you pardon the language, I'd be pissing fire if I were in their fins! :mad:

It is a sad state of affairs indeed, corruption breeds corruption.

Daniel

[tarczy]

As a result, they have all been told that they cannot operate as dive boats until they get proper permits and that if they do, they will have their existing permits (land tour permits) revoked.

My understanding is that the Peter Hughes and the two Aggressor boats are the only operators not affected by this, as they had proper diving permits. I am glad that my next trip (not until 2009) is on Aggressor.

Jonathan

Sooo . . . are we to assume that Galapagos Liveaboard diving operations, with the proper permits, will no longer be doing land tours?

If so, I guess I'm not bringing my 500mm lens on our 2009 trip. Actually, I'm kinda happy about that. It allows for at least two more dives. :rolleyes:

[Jonathan Bird]

There was some talk a month or so ago about not allowing dive boats to do land tours and not allowing land tour boats to do diving, but I do not know if that was a rumor or not. Much of what is coming out of the Galapagos right now is unsubstantiated. All I can say is that are literally thousands of divers that are screwed right now because they have trips coming up in the next weeks to months and they are going to have to cancel, or go snorkeling. They are not going to get refunds on airplane tickets. They may or may not get refunds from dive operations. Many companies are going to go bankrupt over this.

The Galapagos National Park might think they are doing the "right" thing, but they are doing it wrong. It strikes me as kind of saying "OK, well, you want law enforcement? Try this on for size!" They are going overboard to punish people. They should phase in the new regs, or enforcement or whatever it's called. Send out a notice that in 3 months, these rules take effect, so that the people that have trips planned in the short term don't get screwed. This is going to leave a very sour taste in a lot of people's mouths, and it will definitely hurt the reputation of the Galapagos in my opinion.

Mark, It kinda makes the Barry misadventure look not so bad! ;)

Jonathan

[tarczy]

Mark, It kinda makes the Barry misadventure look not so bad! ;)

Jonathan

Yeah . . . that's the truth!!!

That said . . . I'll bet that damned boat is one of the ones that doesn't have its papers in order and their "guests" are having to snorkel!!! :mad:

[Jonathan Bird]

The following is currently on the Aggressor website.

Message from the President
The Galapagos Aggressors I & II have been operating as the premier live-aboard dive yachts in the Galapagos Islands since 1993. These yachts were custom designed, built and equipped to offer a safe and luxury dive operation. We were the first live-aboard dive company to offer a permanent itinerary that offers a dive program combined with land visits. We have been granted a specific permit for this combined program since 1994 from the Park authorities.
At the present time, our yachts, Galapagos Aggressors I & II, are two of the only three operations allowed to offer this combined tour legally. With this statement, we want to assure our guests that we will continue to offer luxury diving and a land visit program and we will continue our relentless effort in preserving the Galapagos marine life. This is just an example of why Aggressor Fleet is among the top ten best diving live-aboard yachts in the world and as the most respected and successful diving operation in the Galapagos Islands.

Herbert Frei
President – Galapagos Aggressor I & II


So it looks like the land tours are still in operation on Aggressor alongside the diving.

[Neptune7]

"Send out a notice that in 3 months, these rules take effect, so that the people that have trips planned in the short term don't get screwed. This is going to leave a very sour taste in a lot of people's mouths, and it will definitely hurt the reputation of the Galapagos in my opinion."


Jonathan

This is why Ecuador will remain a third world country for a very long time. They don't need tourists to destroy their wildlife and nature, they can do it themselves. Now that they have fished out the Galapagos waters, they will pick on animal loving tourists, amateur naturalists and visitors, make sure that they don't enjoy their stay. Until they stop coming...and that could be sooner than they think. :mad:
Neptune7

[Jonathan Bird]

I agree. Blaming the tourists for the problems with the World Heritage Site listing is retarded, especially the diving tourists. I can see how thousands of people walking on the land hikes can get to be a problem but I can't see how the divers are harming anything. On the other hand, I can see how the illegal shark finning boats are harming things. Let's be serious here. It would be nice for a non-corrupt politician to take over the National Park and do something positive with his job rather than just line his own pockets. I can't imagine how there is any other explanation for the current state of affairs in the Galapagos except rampant corruptness. Everyone in the world knows that the illegal fishing boats have had the run of the place forever. We have all seen them with our own eyes. I came across a finned shark on a dive not minutes after we chased away a fishing boat at Wolf a few years ago.

It really pisses me off that they now have the mony to fund a boat to be sure that the dive boats aren't putting anyone in the water illegally, after years of claiming they had no money to monitor fishing.

Jonathan

[Daniel]

Source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4986708.html

July 20, 2007, 8:52PM
Correa lifts ban on sale of shark fins

QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador's president overturned a ban on the sale of shark fins, which are popular in Asia, but stipulated they can only be sold if the sharks are caught by fishermen accidentally.

In a presidential decree Friday, Rafael Correa said the legalization of the sale of shark fins would help generate income for fishermen and added that shark fishing would remain illegal.

However, he did not say how authorities would determine if the shark had been caught accidentally or on purpose. The 2004 ban had the "good intention of protecting sharks, but with absurd methods," a presidential statement said.

During the ban, the sale of shark fins was punishable by up to two years in prison. Critics said the new measure will lead to increase shark catches.
Former Environment Minister Edgar Isch called it "a way to more easily evade any type of control" aimed at preserving species.

Sharks are protected in the Galapagos Islands — Ecuador's top tourist destination — where they play a key role in maintaining the archipelago's delicate ecosystem.

[Jonathan Bird]

I heard a rumor about this but I didn't believe it.

UNBELIEVABLE!!:eek:

Thanks for posting that Daniel.

They are bound and determined to wreck the Galapagos.

Jonathan

[Sharkfinn]

Having just returned from Ecuador yesterday after spending a week touring the country and a second week in the Galapagos, I feel the need to just make one comment about Ecuadorian Environmental management.

Ecuadorian Environmental Management is all about saving face recently.

They truly and honestly scare me.:confused:

I would love to vent on the Environmental impact of there non-Diving decision, but that could easily detour off this threads topic.

P.S.
1.) We where told that our dive gear might be confiscated, if it was onboard our live aboard.
2.) The permit the vessel had pre-dated the one still held by the Aggressor fleet.
3.) As far as I understand it, the Aggressor fleet permits where not pulled because they where issued by a different agency.

[Jonathan Bird]

Ecuadorian Environmental Management is all about saving face recently.

They truly and honestly scare me.:confused:

I would love to vent on the Environmental impact of there non-Diving decision, but that could easily detour off this threads topic.

Feel free to expand on this or start a new thread. I think this topic warrants discussion.

Jonathan

[Aussicat]

Since ninety procent of the worlds population of sharks has been decimated already!
the fin industry goes to sanctuary's and gives huge amounts of money to the governments!
to get more fins for their chinese clients

you can read about it at:

http://www.seashepherd.org/galapagos/galapagos_defending_sharks.html

If this is the first time you hear about Sea Shepherd, don't think they are some little protest group, let me show you:

http://www.seashepherdbenefit.com/sponsors.html

and even the very dalai lama supports sea shepherd:

http://www.seashepherd.org/supporters/featured_0703_Dalai_Lama.html

Please watch the movie that tells the truth in a theater near you, or buy the dvd and help,
please help saving our last sharks, saving our seas that you love!

http://www.sharkwater.com/

Many thanks in advance,

Katrien Vandevelde
Belgium

[Neptune7]

Since ninety procent of the worlds population of sharks has been decimated already!
the fin industry goes to sanctuary's and gives huge amounts of money to the governments!
to get more fins for their chinese clients

you can read about it at:

http://www.seashepherd.org/galapagos/galapagos_defending_sharks.html

If this is the first time you hear about Sea Shepherd, don't think they are some little protest group, let me show you:

http://www.seashepherdbenefit.com/sponsors.html

and even the very dalai lama supports sea shepherd:

http://www.seashepherd.org/supporters/featured_0703_Dalai_Lama.html

Please watch the movie that tells the truth in a theater near you, or buy the dvd and help,
please help saving our last sharks, saving our seas that you love!

http://www.sharkwater.com/

Many thanks in advance,

Katrien Vandevelde
Belgium


Dear Katrien,

Are you a fund raiser for Sea Shepherd? You sound like one!

Are you sure the Dalaï Lama supports a guy who said and re-said that the death of three Magdalena Islands fishermen (and yes, seal hunters) trying to survive and make a living out of their ancestral activities) was worth the live of a few hundreds seals? :mad:

Rather than sending your money to Watson, send your euros to the family of the dead fishermen. They need it more than Sea Shepherd. If the fishermen could survive without the seal hunt, they would abandon this dangerous activity. I 'll get you the adresses if you want.

Sharkwater now.

Sharkwater is not a good movie. Sorry. I have seen it twice (to make sure my first time wasn't biased) and it is one the worst shot movie of all time. Bad videography but a good story...
Stewart is showing us a true scandal: Illegal fisheries in the Galapagos and in the Cocos from Costarican fishermen protected by the corrupted goverment... I agree totally with the statement of Stewart.

But the real subject of the film is Rob Stewart himself. Too narcissic for me!

Also, if you can explain to me how after sneaking out (really?) of Costa Rica with a ton of luggage (when cured from a septicemia not necrotizing fasciitis as told in the movie) to go to the Cocos to swim with sharks he end up doing freediving with a DPV in the Bahamas with well fed reef sharks??? Did I missed something here? :confused:

Neptune 7

[tarczy]

Ahhhhhh Neptune 7 . . .

I am privileged to call you my friend, but on this subject we disagree.

I give $100/month to Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd organization because I truly believe that the only way to save the whales from the marauding Japanese killing machines is to put oneself in harms way . . . and occasionally DO a little harm. I also believe that Watson is trying his best to stop shark finning in the Galapagos, but is failing because the Ecuadorian Government is on the take.

As far as stopping the seal hunt goes, I could care less. Yeah. . . the seal pups are cute, and killing them is cruel, but my understanding is that they are not nearly as endangered as whales and sharks.

Bottom line, I think Greenpeace is nothing but a money making machine that does nothing to stop Japanese whaling (yeah . . . Greenpeace actually sat down with the Japanese to eat whale meat!!). Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd crew are out there putting their lives on the line. Ya gotta respect that!

Oh yeah . . . . one more thing . . . I agree . . . Sharkwater sucked . . . which is why it went straight to DVD.

Hope all is well up there in the great white north. Enjoy it while you can 'cuz the U.S. Dollar is comin' back soon!! :D

[Neptune7]

Ahhhhhh Neptune 7 . . .

I am privileged to call you my friend, but on this subject we disagree.

I give $100/month to Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd organization because I truly believe that the only way to save the whales from the marauding Japanese killing machines is to put oneself in harms way . . . and occasionally DO a little harm. I also believe that Watson is trying his best to stop shark finning in the Galapagos, but is failing because the Ecuadorian Government is on the take.

As far as stopping the seal hunt goes, I could care less. Yeah. . . the seal pups are cute, and killing them is cruel, but my understanding is that they are not nearly as endangered as whales and sharks.

Bottom line, I think Greenpeace is nothing but a money making machine that does nothing to stop Japanese whaling (yeah . . . Greenpeace actually sat down with the Japanese to eat whale meat!!). Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd crew are out there putting their lives on the line. Ya gotta respect that!

Oh yeah . . . . one more thing . . . I agree . . . Sharkwater sucked . . . which is why it went straight to DVD.

Hope all is well up there in the great white north. Enjoy it while you can 'cuz the U.S. Dollar is comin' back soon!! :D

Yo Tarczy,

I am not saying that everything Watson did was bad. I agree with him concerning the whaling and what he did trying to stop this nonsense is admirable. I also think that it is urgent to stop shark fining. For that I support him.

But what bothers me is that they (Watson, Greepeace and other animalist groups) are still using pictures and sequences of white seal pups being killed to suck up money from generous (but naive) donators even if the seal pups hunting has stopped since 1993 in Canada. They now harvest only young adults seals. Animalist groups are making tons of money on this lie.

Cruelty on the other hand is also debatable, I know it looks cruel to kill an animal by pulverizing its brain with a blow but vet schools from Europe, US and Canada have confirmed that it the most humane and quick way of killing a seal. They dont suffer. It is comparable to what is going on in any slaughter house... Killing an animal is never easy or pleasing to watch.

I would also add that I am now against the seal hunt but for another reason: economy. Do you know that the whole seal hunt activities bring about 5 millions dollars (Canadian heavyweight dollars) to the fishermen and it is costing us more than 20 millions to have the Canadian coastgards and icebreakers to protect those fishermen and activists if they have problems on the ice!

So by paying 5 millions to the fishermen not to go seal hunting, canadian taxpayers would save 15 millions and it might also reduce the income of animalist groups...:eek:

All is good in the North. I heard that you are enjoying the good life in the South. I am happy for you my friend.

Pierre

[tarczy]

Pierre -

I guess, when it's all boiled down, we really agree on the Sea Shepherd thing, but for different reasons.

I thought Watson's stunt several years ago was brilliant. He welded a steel beam with a sharpened point to the side of his bow. Then he sideswiped the Japanese whaling ships, tearing a huge gaping hole in the side just above the water line. Ha ha!! That stopped 'em cold!!

On another note . . . I should probably come up there to visit you in the great white north. It was 118 degrees in parts of Los Angeles this weekend. :eek:

Stay cool!! :D

[Papa Bear]

Neptune7, I agree with you 100%! It is about sustainability and who made him sheriff? I think we need to be good shepherds of our planet, but attacking Sealers and whalers without authority make him a vigilantly and I don't see the how that makes him a hero at all?

We have laws and those empowered to enforce them should be the ones we support!

Now we should boycott Ecuador until they clean up their government, but now it turns political and the Dumocrats her voted down a treaty with Columbia playing right into the hands of anti-American countries like Ecuador!

So where is the UN? Paid off as well!??? We need to realize that our dollars speak the loudest and we need to confront the cultures that think they need fins head on with information and knowledge!

As far as the movie, a Hollywood want to be production, and unbelievable story if you know the boats and where they where! I liked the shots of the boat running from the Harbor Police shot from another boat?!!! Didn't seem they really wanted to stop him too badly!

We have to do something about our resource management and I like that this DRAMA brings it to the forefront where we should be able to make treaties and let the UN do what it should be doing, since it is a failure at almost all it does!