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The Galapagos Islands are a Unesco World Heritage site.
Ecuador is on alert due to the appearance of a huge fleet of fishing vessels, mostly with the Chinese flag, off the Galapagos Islands.
The patrols are trying to ensure that the fleet, which is made up of around 260 ships, does not enter the delicate ecosystem from international waters.
Chinese ships travel to the region each year in search of marine species.
In 2017, a Chinese ship was caught in the marine reserve with 300 tons of wildlife, mostly sharks.
“We are on alert, [conducting] surveillance, patrolling to avoid an incident like what happened in 2017, “Ecuadorian Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrin told reporters.
There were no immediate comments from Chinese authorities when contacted by BBC News.
- Ecuador ‘allows US military aircraft to use the Galapagos Island airfield’
Former Quito mayor Roque Sevilla told The Guardian that a “protection strategy” was being devised for the islands.
“Uncontrolled Chinese fishing right on the edge of the protected area is ruining Ecuador’s efforts to protect marine life in the Galapagos,” he said.
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Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrin says the country is on alert
President Lenin Moreno said that Ecuador will hold consultations with other Latin American countries with a Pacific coast (Colombia, Peru, Chile, Panama and Costa Rica) to form a joint regional position on the “threat”.
“Therefore [natural] In that area, we are under immense pressure from the international fishing fleets, “the newspaper El Universo reported.
The Galapagos Marine Reserve has a large number of species of sharks, including endangered whales and hammerhead sharks.
The Galapagos Islands are a Unesco World Heritage site recognized worldwide for its unique variety of plants and wildlife.
Charles Darwin made critical observations for his theory of evolution on the islands.
