Press release.- Portugal, July 4th 2022- The UN Ocean Conference 2022 took place from 27 June to 1 July in Lisbon, Portugal, and brought together more than 5000 participants, including world leaders, entrepreneurs, youth, influencers and scientists. The aim was to discuss ways to protect the world's oceans and deliver science-driven innovations and solutions to respond to a multidimensional crisis driven by climate change, overfishing, habitat loss and pollution.
During this conference, the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands held a side event in collaboration with the Government of Ecuador, Jocotoco Foundation, Re:wild, Marine Conservation Institute, The Nature Conservancy and UNEP.
The Government of Ecuador presented the progress made so far on the implementation of the newly designated “Hermandad” Marine Reserve in Galapagos, and illustrated its complementarity and connection with the Marine Protected Areas of Galapagos and Cocos Island in Costa Rica, as well as ongoing efforts to enhance and strengthen ecological connectivity and marine conservation in the Eastern Tropical Pacific region.
“The Galapagos Marine Reserve has demonstrated itself to be a successful management tool, enabling a spillover effect for key species and we expect Hermandad to add to this” said Inti Keith, from the Charles Darwin Foundation. “The creation of this ‘swimway’ (Hermandad) between Galapagos and Cocos Island is the first step in a larger regional initiative to create a transboundary marine corridor including core Marine Protected Areas in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama. This will not only protect key migratory species but will also help regulating our climate by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions and help us in our fight against climate change” added Keith.
“The new Marine Protected Area “Hermandad” is essential as it is a migration zone for species of conservation interest such as sea turtles, marine mammals, sea birds, sharks and other species. It is currently in the process of implementation. It has a Ministerial Agreement of creation, its limits have been geographically defined in a new nautical chart, and there is a participatory process underway for the formulation of the Management Plan with all stakeholders, including the industrial fishing sector of the mainland.” Said Eliecer Cruz, CEO Jocotoco Foundation.
At the end of the event, questions about existing tools and technologies that enhance the effectiveness of MPAs were addressed.