Puerto Ayora, February 2006
Over the past 15 years, Galapagos has seen a lucrative sea cucumber fishery boom and bust. In the same time period, tourism has doubled in the Islands. Yet despite increases in financial flows, conflict, discord, and inequity have marked the recent history of Galapagos.
It can be argued that much of this negative balance results from unsustainable business development. Economic growth in Galapagos has been driven by external investments, with minimal consideration given to local benefit sharing. This contrasts with models of sustainable business development, which link benefits to local people. In Galapagos, conservation-oriented businesses need to develop that will provide benefits for the local people.
As an example, some believe that sport fishing could support conservation in Galapagos by providing income for local fishers, balancing inequity, and reducing conflict. As presently proposed, however, sport fishing requires significant initial investment in the boat and equipment. Furthermore, putting in place the skills required for operating and managing this very high-end business will necessitate bringing in professionals from outside the islands. The potential end result is a business that is bankrolled and managed by wealthy investors foreign to the Galapagos Islands. Under these circumstances, sport fishing will provide minimal local benefits to islanders and does not meet the indispensable criteria of social and cultural sustainability.
Through ongoing dialogue and work between local fishers, guides, the National Park Service, the local tourism sector and the CDF there is now a proposal for a different approach to developing “sport fishing.” This approach will permit local fishers to slowly build their financial and skill base. “Experiential fishing” (pesca vivencial), as it is referred to, was approved toward the end of 2005 by the Inter-institutional Management Authority. This approach allows tourists to travel with fishermen during their working outings and is a first step toward integrating fishers into a business that is conservation-oriented, in that it minimizes the extraction of fish and provides direct local benefits. Over time, local fishers will gain experience in managing visitors to the islands so that, while they will initially work with small, converted fishing boats, they could gradually move toward tourism or toward sport fishing while ensuring local ownership and employment.
It is hoped that by developing shared local visions supported by many partners, we will construct a society built on sustainable local businesses.
Graham Watkins
CDF Executive Director