Ecuador navy watching huge Chinese fishing fleet near Galapagos
- Patrol ships and aircraft conduct surveillance missions to monitor activities of fleet that now contains 340 vessels
- Fishing boats remain in international waters, but environmentalists fear their activities could have an impact on the islands’ unique ecosystem
Ecuador’s navy is conducting surveillance of a massive Chinese fishing fleet that is operating near the protected waters of the Galapagos Islands, amid concerns about the environmental impact of fishing in the area of the ecologically sensitive islands.
The navy conducted a patrol mission on Friday that included a flyover of the region where the vessels are fishing, as well as reconnaissance by military patrol ships.
A total of 340 vessels are currently in the area, the navy said, compared with some 260 reported last month.
Images taken as part of the flyover, which included journalists, showed that at least one of the vessels appeared to be ageing and in need of maintenance.
Ecuador’s navy commander, Rear Admiral Darwin Jarrin, said the navy has approached Colombia and Peru to share information and seek a regional response to the vessels, most of which can hold up to 1,000 tonnes of catch.
The fleet generally spends several weeks fishing off the coast of Peru before approaching the Galapagos.
