ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF THE GALAPAGOS

Of course, a world that has created itself in such a remote and isolated realm is a
delicate system. Humans and other factors have interrupted this system drastically.
The ecosystem in the Galapagos took millions of years to evolve in an intricate and
unique way.
There are a plethora of environmental problems plaguing the islands, some
stemming from the pressures of world climate changes such El Nio, others arising
from commercial fishing, and overpopulation, and many resulting from the
introduction of species by humans dating back to the 1800's. Another big problem
the Galapagos Islands had to face was a big oil spill in 2001.

El Nio
The global weather anomaly hits the Galapagos hard. While an entirely natural
occurrence, the weather pattern takes a vital part of the ecosystem out of the
chain. Many fish leave and search for different waters to feed upon. The fur seals
are greatly affected as they depend on the fish closer to the surface. The surface
waters are heated more during the onsets of El Nio, and the fur seals between
ages 1-4 may be virtually all wiped out. El Nio also affects coastal birds. The
absence of fish in the coastal waters means that many of the traditional nest areas
for birds are abandoned.
Human Impact
While this unforgiving and uncontrollable force of nature has had a destructive
impact on the Galapagos, many of the environmental issues facing the Galapagos
originate from a potentially controllable source --human beings. The presence of
people in the Islands has two sources: migration from the mainland and tourism.

Migration and Hawaiianization

Hoping to find work, people from mainland Ecuador have literally invaded the
Islands. The Galapagos population has increased over 300% in the past few
decades. The 1990 census marks the population at 9,735. Today, more than
25,000 people live on the Islands. The population is doubling every eleven
years, which means that there will be 40,000 people on the Galapagos
Islands by 2014. These are the official statistics. Who knows how many
others, who have no residence permits, reside on the Galpagos? This affects
the archipelago in a number of means. Aside from the pressure put on the
natural resources, this large growth means that most of the garbage is
dumped in an open air site and burned with no sort of treatment or
separation.

Tourism
For decades, tourists have marvelled at the rich flora and fauna of the
Galapagos. Despite the high prices, the stream of visitors has never broken
off. In the sixties, there were about 1,000 tourists per year, whereas there
were approximately 80,000 visitors in 2001. A second airport was built and
the construction of a third one is under discussion. Now, more than 100,000
visitors arrive each year. The park service does a remarkable job of
regulating the licensing of guides, as well as designating low-impact landing
sites. The National Park charges a $100 entrance fee on foreign tourists, yet
receives only 25% of that. Nevertheless, the park has to deal with the
conservation problems that motor yachts and their trash bring to the island.

Over-fishing
Recently, overfishing or illegal fishing has become a large issue. When
migrants do not find work in tourism, they often find jobs in the fishing
industry. The sea cucumber and sharks of the Galapagos have become
alarming targets, both popular in Asian markets for their aphrodisiac or
medicinal qualities. Due to the alarming decrease in the early 1990's an
Executive Decree enforced by the National Park service banned all fishing of
sea cucumbers in the Galapagos. Fishermen were not filled with enthusiasm.
Although the ban has been replaced by a quota, there have continuously
been strikes on the part of the fishermen. In April 2004, angry fishermen
besieged the Charles Darwin Station and demanded the right to use greater
nets and longer lines. The seizure ended with an agreement signed between
Csar Narvez (Ecuador's Minister of the Environment), and the artisenal
fishermen. The conflict, however, is far from over.

Introduced Species
The mere human presence of people alone does not hold such a severe threat to
the native species of Galapagos. After all, humans did not arrive alone to the
Islands. Since the times of the first inhabitants, non-native species have been
introduced to the Galapagos Islands, often with drastic consequences. Many of the
species introduced like rats, dogs, cats, and goats, are not rare or deadly in
themselves, but when placed on fragile Islands where life took years to adapt,
have caused dramatic effects.
Feral dogs, most likely introduced to the Islands as pets of early settlers, have
been a threat to tortoise eggs, native iguana species and even penguins. Four
goats were introduced to the Santiago Islands in the early 1800's, went rampant
and one estimate calculated that their population had grown to nearly 100,000.
Due to their constitution and ability to feed on nearly any plant, goats alone may
be responsible for the local extinction of up to 4 or 5 species of vegetation and also
they compete with the Galapagos tortoise for their food source.
A newly introduced wasp species has been sited on the Islands, and may be
responsible for a declining number of caterpillar larvae, a food source for finches. A
mangrove cotton scale insect arrived several years ago and has been eliminated
now with the help of an introduced lady-bird beetle. The Charles Darwin Research
Station constantly searches for solutions to the problem of introduced species.

Positive Future (?)

While there are a great number of issues and problems facing the fragile
environment of the Galapagos, there are success stories and potential solutions as
well. The introduced eradication program, though slow going, has eliminated feral
goats from several small islands. Dogs are now absent from the island of Isabela.
The efforts to reintroduce and repopulate species such as elephantine tortoise have
increased their numbers dramatically.
Environmental education efforts on the Islands help their inhabitants understand
the larger picture and need for conservation, and responsible tourism and enforced
park guidelines help preserve the Galapagos for the future. But there are
seemingly endless needs for the park's preservation, and always limited funding.
Other than what little budget it receives from the Republic of Ecuador, the National
Park relies entirely on funding from philanthropists, fundraising efforts of the
Charles Darwin Foundation, Inc. and other private organizations.