On January 14, 2022, in a ceremony attended by Guillermo Lasso, President of Ecuador; Iván Duque, President of Colombia; Bill Clinton, former President of the United States; and other authorities, a decree establishing the new Galapagos Marine Reserve, Hermandad, was signed.
A total of 60,000 km2 will be added to the existing 138,000 km2 of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, thus extending the conservation area for our species. The total area of protected marine habitat around the Galapagos Islands will be 198,000 km2.
Among the main objectives of this new reserve is the protection of marine biodiversity, including key migratory routes of emblematic species such as the hammerhead shark, as well as limiting illegal fishing in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
CDF Executive Director Rakan Zahawi notes that "the Eastern Tropical Pacific has a high percentage of unique species that serve as a living laboratory for research development. We celebrate these types of decisions to protect Galapagos and the world".
The event was also attended by international celebrities such as marine biologist Silvia Earl and U.S. actress Bo Dereck.