Fishing fleet: Commission concludes lack of government action and that the expansion of the GMR would bring negative consequences for the Ecuadorian tuna fleet
November 5, 2020 – 11:20 am
Virtual session of the Commission on International Relations, Sovereignty and Security. Courtesy
Quito -Three months after the Plenary of the Assembly condemned foreign fishing near the Galapagos and delegated to the Commission for International Relations, Sovereignty and Security the preparation of a report on high seas fishing, this body unanimously approved the Tomorrow of this November 5, a document in which it concludes that there were chains of misinformation and lack of action by the competent authorities in order to promote the conservation of marine resources in this area.
In addition, the Commission agreed that the expansion of the Galapagos Marine Reserve (RMG) to 188 nautical miles could have negative consequences, mainly in the reduction of fishing areas of the Ecuadorian tuna fleet.
In the absence of action by the Executive authorities, the Commission points out to the Council of the Special Regime of Galapagos, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment, since foreign fishing actions in this area are carried out years ago 2020,
As a result, Ecuador has not yet obtained effective approaches with authorities from international organizations, which would allow the country to access a strategic alliance in search of conservation.
“That the Presidency of the Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility have not rigorously applied the benefits and rights granted to them by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – UNCLOS, the Agreement on the Application of the Provisions of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (New York Agreement) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – CITES “, it adds one of the conclusions.
Due to the faults of the authorities, the Commission recommended that the Plenary of the National Assembly determine political responsibilities for the negligence on the part of the Governing Council of the Special Regime of the province of Galapagos, and that the Oversight Commission initiate a political control action against the Director General of the Center for Strategic Intelligence (CIES) by systematically preventing the delivery of relevant information for the case.
Also, that the State Attorney General’s Office proceed with legal actions if necessary, that the Government apply the international and national regulations in force for the conservation of the resources of that area, that the Government ensure the resources to the Ministry of Defense for the acquisition of a new oceanographic vessel in order to conclude, until 2026, with the studies of the expansion of the Continental Shelf, and that the Foreign Ministry safeguard and guarantee the permanent presence of Ecuador in the exercise of fishing activities on the high seas within the framework of the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).
The document of 85 pages, 31 conclusions and 29 recommendations will be known to the Plenary Assembly in the coming days.
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