Overfishing in the Galapagos Marine Reserve:

A focus on Sea Cucumber, Lobster, and Shark Finning

Zack Gold

Abstract

Despite recent conservation efforts to reduce overfishing in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, there

is substantial evidence that sea cucumber (Isostichopus fuscus) and spiny lobster (Panulirus

pencillatus and P. gracilis) are being overfished at levels beyond their maximum sustainable

yields. (Bustamante 2008) (Toral-Granda et. al 2004) Less data is available on the population

status of sharks in the Galapagos, however there is significant evidence that sharks are being

finned beyond sustainable yields globally, causing shark populations to plummet in all oceans

including the Eastern Pacific. (Clarke 2005) (Dulvy 2008) Current fishery management practices

are ineffective because scientific recommendations are ignored for economic gains and

enforcement of the fishery has been severely reduced since 2006, and in some areas enforcement

is essentially nonexistent. (Galapagos Report 2006) Illegal unreported unregulated fishing has

greatly impacted sea cucumber, spiny lobster, and shark populations and is the greatest threat to

fisheries worldwide. (Agnew et. al 2009) If high demands for sea cucumber, lobster, and shark

fins continue in Asian and American markets, these species will be severely depleted and cause

drastic shifts in the marine ecosystems of the Galapagos. (Clarke 2005, 2006) (Camhi 1995)

Introduction

Fishing in the Galapagos started from humble beginnings where local subsistence fisherman

caught lobster and grouper. (Hearn 2008) However, in the 1960s the spiny lobster fishery of P.

pencillatus began exporting to the United States. (Hearn 2006) In response to declines of spiny

lobster, this fishery has escalated from an intertidal based fishery to a large dive fleet based

fishery that currently employs over a thousand fisherman.(Bustamante 2000) This was the

predominant fishery until 1991 when the highly lucrative, illegal, unregulated, and unreported

sea cucumber fishery moved from the mainland to the Galapagos after depleting the entire

mainland fishery in less than three years. (Toral-Granda 2004) This illegal fishery went

unregulated until the creation of the Galapagos Special Law in 1998 which established a much

larger Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), extending 40 nautical miles, and a cooperative fishery

management system between scientists and the fisherman to set quotas and catch limits on both

the sea cucumber and spiny lobster fisheries.(Martinez 2001) (Hearn 2008) The Special Law also

addressed the shark finning fishery by increasing naval involvement in the enforcement of illegal

fishing and officially declared shark finning illegal within the reserve.(Hearn 2008) Although not

the only species fished in the Galapagos these three are the most economically and ecologically

important to the archipelago. (Galapagos Report 2006)

The sea cucumber fishery is focussed predominantly on one species Isostichopus fuscus,

commonly known as the Brown sea cucumber. I. fuscus is a detritus feeding Holothurodian that

inhabits sublittoral reefs and sandy bottoms of the Eastern Pacific that plays an important

ecological role in recycling nutrients. (Toral-Granda 2004) The lobster fishery was historically

focussed on Panulirus pencillatus, the red spiny lobster, which made up over 75% of the spiny

lobster catch. (Bustamante 2000) The only transpacific lobster, P. pencillatus is a subtidal

Decapod found in depths less than 5m on exposed rocky coasts. This gregarious species lives in

submerged lava tubes feeding nocturnally on small benthic invertebrates such as gastropods,

crabs, and sea urchins such as Eucidaris galapagensis. (Bustamante 2008) With declines in the

red spiny lobster two other species, Panulirus gracilis and Scyllarides astori, have become more

readily caught. P. gracilis, the blue spiny lobster, is found at depths greater than 2 meters in

murky bays and coves and shares a similar diet to the red spiny lobster. Scyllarides astori, the

Galapagos Slipper Lobster, is a deep water species feeding on small benthic invertebrates caught

for local consumption and never reaching more than 15% of the total lobster catch. (Bustamante

2000, 2008) (Hearn 2007)

Unfortunately due to the illegal nature of the shark finning industry, the total number of

species finned for in the Galapagos is impossible to estimate. However, there is genetic evidence

that 7 of the total 43 species of shark found in the Galapagos make up substantial portions, at

least 2%, of the world fin catch. (Grove 1997) (Clarke 2005) (Jaquet 2008) (Abercrmbie 2005)

These species include Prionace glauca, the blue shark, Isurus oxyrinchus and I. paucus, short fin

and long fin makos, three species of thresher shark Alopias vulpinus, A. pelagicus, A.

superciliosus, and Sphyrna lewini, the scalloped hammerhead. (Clarke 2005)

Hypotheses

1. Isostichopus fuscus is being overfished beyond maximum sustainable yields in the Galapagos.

2. Panulirus pencillatus and P. gracilis are being overfished beyond maximum sustainable yields

in the Galapagos.

3. Sharks are being overfished beyond maximum sustainable yields by finning practices in the

Galapagos.

4. The decline in Isostichopus fuscus populations is due to either climate change, pollution,

habitat degradation, or the introduction of an invasive species not overfishing.

5.The decline in Panulirus pencillatus and P. gracilis populations is due to either climate

change, pollution, habitat degradation, or the introduction of an invasive species not overfishing.

6.The decline in shark populations is due to either climate change, pollution, habitat degradation,

or the introduction of an invasive species overfishing.

Results

Lobster Fishery

Since 1998 there has been a significant decrease in catch per unit effort (CPUE) and total catch

for spiny lobster P. pencillatus and P. gracilis. (Bustamante 2008) (Hearn 2006) In 2005 the

CPUE and total landings were substantially less than that of of 1998, a significant El Niño year

that led to a large decrease in the spiny lobster population. (Hearn & Murillo 2007) Since 2000

the CPUE and total annual catch have dropped by 50%, showing steep declines in the fishery and

significant evidence of fishing beyond maximum sustainable yields. (Hearn 2007) The catch of

S. astori has risen dramatically in the recent years due to the increased use of boats and dive

equipment leading to a switch in species fished. (Hearn & Murillo 2007)

Bustamante 2000

Alex Hearn and Juan Carlos Murillo 2007

Sea Cucumber Fishery

The I. fuscus fishery has shown dramatic decreases in CPUE, total catch, and population

densities in the Galapagos. (Toral-Granda et al. 2005) The population densities have decreased

by 33% since rebounding from the 1998 El Niño. (Toral-Grande et al. 2005) Likewise, CPUE

and total catch have decreased by 30% in the same time period showing a dramatic decrease in

sea cucumber populations. (Toral-Grande et. al 2005) The sea cucumber populations decreased

so substantially in recent years that in 2006 and 2007 the fishery was closed and has since failed

to recover. (Hearn 2005) The fisheries data points to the collapse of the I. fuscus fishery

especially after the 2002 season where 8.3 million sea cucumber were fished in less than 2

months. (Hearn 2005)

Shark Finning

Unlike the sea cucumber and lobster fisheries, shark finning systematically lacks significant

population and catch data and the data that does exist is drastically under reported. (Jaquet 2008)

Sharks remain one of the least studied top predator species and all population sizes must be

estimated. (Clarke 2006) Despite the lack of shark population data, genetic testing has identified

7 species of shark found in the Galapagos that constitute at least 2% of the total annual shark fin

catch of Hong Kong. (Abercrombie et. al 2005) From the years 1997 to 2007 22,727 fins and

686 carcasses have been impounded by the GMR, an estimated total of 5,000 sharks. (Galapagos

Report 2006) Although illegal shark finners have been apprehended in the GMR, illegal shark

finning in the Reserve continues to export the fins back to Hong Kong, the largest global market

accounting for 90% of the total fin sales. (Galapagos Report 2006)(Clark 2005) A reduction in

funds for the Galapagos National Park and GMR have led to substantial decreases in

enforcement of shark finning since 2004. The reduction in fleet size and enforcement leads to the

conclusion that the actual number of sharks finned for in the GMR was much higher than 5,000

sharks. (Galapagos Report 2006)

World wide, an estimated 26 million and 76 million sharks are killed by shark finning

annually. (Clarke et al. 2006) Though groups such as Sea Shepherd have estimates of 100

million sharks finned per year. (Sea Shepherd 2012) There is genetic evidence of 7 shark species

from the Galapagos each making up at least 2% of trade. (Clarke 2005) The blue shark makes up

the largest percentage of the total world shark fin catch with an estimated 10.7 million tons

caught per year or 17% of the total catch. (Clarke 2006) Although the blue shark is the most

abundant shark in the world, this level of fishing pressure is estimated to be at or above the

maximum sustainable yield. (Clarke 2006) Migrating pelagic sharks are threatened globally by

shark finning with 16 out of 21 faced with an elevated risk of extinction. (Dulvy et. al 2008) In

addition the scalloped hammerhead is listed as an endangered species and mako, threshers, and

blue sharks are all listed as vulnerable in the IUCN red list with the major threats stemming from

shark finning. (IUCN 2012)

Discussion

Lobster Fishery

The lobster fishery is in decline and currently being fished beyond maximum sustainable yields.

(Alex Hearn 2007) Continued fishing pressures at current levels can lead to fisheries collapse

and already the fishery is moving towards different deeper water species. (Bustamente 2000) The

current lobster fishery management practices in the Galapagos Marine Reserve include a Total

Allowable Quota (TAQ), a minimum size length of 26cm, a series of no takes zones covering

17% of the GMR, return of gravid females, and the impoundment of all illegal catch. (Hearn et

al. 2007) However, these practices are insufficient and illegal fishing, catching below the legal

size requirement, and capture of gravid females take place. In order to have a sustainable fishery

science based guidelines must be heavily enforced to allow for the fishery to rebound.

The decrease in lobster populations has had enormous ecological repercussions via

trophic cascade including the increase in their prey, the white sea urchin, T. depressus, and slate

pencil urchins, Eucidaris galapagensis. (Bustamante 2010) These sea urchins have expanded

greatly in over fished areas and have led to the declines of coraline algae and scleractinian corals

in the Galapagos which provide habitat and food for dozens of species. (Sonnenholzner et. al

2005) This is evident in the Western portion of Isabela and noticeably at Targus cove where

Stanford students observed upwards of 100 sea urchins per m^2. (Gold et. al 2012)

The populations are negatively effected by El Niño but the species reproduce better in

subsequent years. The lobster does more to enhance the effects of El Niño than it effected by it.

No pollution, habitat degradation, or the introduction of an invasive species has had any

substantial decrease in the populations of lobster in the Galapagos.

Sea cucumber fishery

The I. fuscus fishery has been overfished far beyond maximum sustainable yields and the fishery

has collapsed in recent years leading to the closure of the fisheries. (Alex Hearn 2005) The sea

cucumber management practices in the Galapgos include a TAQ, a minimum size length of

20cm, a series of no takes zones covering 17% of the GMR, and the impoundment of all illegal

catch. (Hearn et al. 2007) However, as with the lobster regulations they are weakly enforced and

unfounded on science. The fishery since the beginning has been rooted in illegal fishing and to

this day the lucrative sea cucumber industry has had a significant illegal component. The Asian

markets for beche-de-mer have grown dramatically and have led to declines of I. fuscus around

the Eastern pacific. (Toral-Grande et. al 2005) This decline in I. fuscus has led to a switch

towards different sea cucumber species.

There is no evidence in the scientific literature that pollution, habitat degradation, the

introduction of an invasive species, have any significant effect on the recent declines in the sea

cucumber population. There is evidence that El Niño has a negative impact on sea cucumber

populations but a positive impact in the recruitment of the sea cucumbers. (Hearn 2006)

Shark Finning

Despite the limited data on shark fin landings, there is evidence that sharks are being over fished

globally beyond their maximum sustainable yields. (Agnew et. al 2008) (Clarke 2005, 2006) An

estimated 38 million sharks are killed each year for finning, an incredibly high number for long

lived, long maturing, low fecundity species. (Clarke 2005) With an increasing demand for this

highly lucrative fishery stemming from growing Chinese markets. Fishers in the Galapagos

receive at least of $20/kg for shark finning and the middle man can sell shark fins for upwards of

700 dollars/kg. (Clark 2006) (Constant 1993) The enforcement of shark finning in the Galapagos

has decreased and illegal finning practices may be going unchecked across the archipelago.

(Galapagos Report 2006) There is evidence that species from the Galapagos are being finned and

accounting for significant volumes of the total shark fin trade.(Clarke 2005)

The largest threat to the survival of sharks world wide is over fishing. (IUCN 2012) The

decline in Galapagos shark populations have no evidence to be attributed to pollution, habitat

degradation, or the introduction of an invasive.

Conclusion

I. fuscus, P. pencillatus, and P. gracilis are currently fished beyond maximum sustainable yields

in the Galapagos leading to the collapse of both the sea cucumber and spiny lobster fishery.

Globally sharks are threatened by shark finning and the Galapagos archipelago is subject to high

levels of illegal shark finning. To prevent complete collapse of the sea cucumber fishery, fishing

for I. fuscus must be banned in order to allow for successful recruitment and the regeneration of

the species. If the lobster fishery is to be sustainable, exports to the US must be reduced

substantially to ensure the fishery does not decline further towards collapse. In order for any

fishery to be sustainable in the Galapagos, scientific based standards must be adhered to and

effectively enforced, a feat unaccomplished in this region of the world. For all three of the major

fisheries, a drastic increase in enforcement is critical. Illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing

is destructive to ecosystems and leads to the collapse and potential extinction of species. (IUCN

2012)

A solution to the problem of over fishing in the Galapagos is to provide alternative

economic incentives to fisherman. Illegal shark and sea cucumber fishing are highly lucrative

industries but providing an alternative sustainable economic resource would reduce the number

of fisherman and alleviate fishing pressures. Another key issue for all three species is a lack of

complete and recent population, catch, and CPUE data. Migratory pelagic shark species’

population densities are mostly unknown and is vital to determining the maximum sustainable

yield. (Jacquet 2008) In addition these migratory species require large networks of protected

areas and truly global collaboration to protect their future. Global collaboration requires the

addition of threatened species to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature red list

and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The desire for shark fin soup and sea cucumber has lead to decreased populations of these

species all across the globe. In order to meet the growing demands for these products there must

be a switch towards truly sustainable aquaculture. Seafood is the last wild caught food source in

the world and with populations growing at an alarming rate if we are going to increase the catch

of sea cucumber and lobster, then we must turn towards aquaculture as a solution. Current

aquaculture can be unsustainable and detrimental to nearby ecosystems but new techniques and

technologies may lead to sustainable aquaculture. (Greenberg 2011)

The Galapagos Marine Reserve has been unsuccessful in protecting marine habitats and

preventing over harvesting and poaching. If the Galapagos is to remain the spectacular natural

marine environment that it is today, overfishing must be controlled in the archipelago. If left

unchecked overfishing could lead to the extinction of top level predators and marine ecosystem

collapse, leading to the rapid decline of dive tourism and the loss of a unique and spectacular

ocean environment.

Figure 1. Brown Sea Cucumber Isostichopus fuscus

Figure 2. Blue Spiny Lobster Panulirus gracillus

Figure 3. White Tip Reef Shark Triaenodon obesus

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AGREEMENT ON PORT STATE MEASURES TO PREVENT, DETER AND ELIMINATE

ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING

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