This past week, I returned to the Galapagos to try to advance some projects there. One of the big projects in conjunction with the Charles Darwin Foundation (https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/about/cdrs) is to understand what happened to co-management arrangements since the inauguration of a large marine reserve around Wolf and Darwin Islands in 2016 (https://www.santacruzgalapagoscruise.com/galapagos-marine-reserve/). Established by presidential edict, it provided the final blow to co-management arrangements between artisanal fishers, government officials, and tourism operators in the Galapagos.
Photo of Darwin and Wolf Islands Source: http://www.scubatravel.co.uk
Our research looks at the arrangements on paper for the management and zoning of the waters around the Galapagos and interviews many of the people involved in the management and/or co-management of this rich, biodiverse area. Our hope is that we can learn about how to improve governance outcomes as well as the legitimacy of the process through our work.
And why this area is known as the “Sharkiest Place on the Planet”
Source: Charles Darwin Foundation
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