Marine Corridor Protects Marine Life

Marine Corridor Protects Marine Life in the Pacific

Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica have launched a strategy to protect marine wildlife in the Pacific Ocean. These countries have established the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, spanning almost 500.000 km2 (200.000 mi2), which intends to preserve marine species by prohibiting industrial fishing in the area. The project is part of multiple initiatives by neighboring countries to cut down on non-regulated fishing practices.

The 2021 COP 26 summit, held in Glasgow in early November, saw numerous pledges by world leaders that committed to adopt measures for reducing emissions and stopping deforestation.

In this conference, the presidents of Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica expressed their contribution by agreeing to join efforts in protecting their Pacific waters. They announced that they would promote further actions to preserve the marine ecosystem, including patrolling and banning illegal fishing.

 

 

 

The initiative dates back to 2005, when only the surrounding waters of the islands were protected. However, it was announced that the new protected area would cover almost 500.000 km2 (200.000 mi2), an area that encloses the islands of Galapago (Ecuador), Coco (Costa Rica), Coiba (Panama), Malpelo and Gorgona (Colombia). Colombian President Iván Duque called this the largest marine protected area in the western hemisphere, considered one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.

One of the objectives of this project is to protect species such as tuna, hammerhead sharks, sea turtles and whales, which inhabit the area and move along the corridor to feed, meet each other, reproduce and give birth. Though mostly sparsely populated or even uninhabited, the islands in the corridor are home to a great number of species.

For instance, the small and remote island of Malpelo, off the Colombian Pacific coast, is known for harboring many species of sharks, tuna and seabirds. These species are expected to thrive under the new protected area, which will ban industrial fishing. Coastal mangroves, which protect people against tropical storms, are also among the list of protected zones in the initiative.

The agreement arises as a way to combat overfishing and other non-regulated fishing practices. Due to its low human population and remote location, the area has been a well-sought target. In the last few years, illegal fishing vessels have been found surrounding the island.

In one of such incidents, a vessel was found carrying 300 tons of marine wildlife such as hammerhead sharks. Last year, the Colombian authorities seized over 3000 shark fins that were being exported to Asia from Valle del Cauca, in the Pacific coast, which meant that between 900 and 1000 sharks had to be sacrificed.

The environmental impact of these events have raised concern among the neighboring countries as this would endanger some of the species that live near the protected areas and cross into international waters.

Since 2020, numerous efforts have been made into protecting the Eastern Tropical Pacific. In November of that year, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Ecuador declared that they would fight against non-regulated fishing to protect their marine ecosystem.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Coast Guard have joined the Ecuadorian navy in patrolling the waters that surround Galápagos Island and discouraging illegal fishing.

In a tweet, Ambassador Brian A. Nichols, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, emphasized the willingness of the U.S. to collaborate in preserving marine ecosystems and stopping non-declared, non-regulated and illegal fishing.

He also praised the efforts that Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador have made in protecting their biodiversity.

 

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My name is Javier Cataño García and I am pursuing a M.A. in Spanish, with focus on linguistics and literature, at the University of South Florida, Tampa, where I also teach undergraduate Spanish courses. I was born and raised in Colombia, but I have lived in the United States since August 2021. I have always had a special interest in foreign languages and geography, and I am looking to channel that interest through Latina Republic. I also have some training and experience in English-Spanish translation and interpretation. Although my professional career has been centered in teaching, I enjoy delving into other areas such as music, cooking and journalism. I hope to find new directions in my career through Latina Republic.