Oceana Finds 300 Chinese Vessels Pillaging the Galapagos for Squid - Oceana USA

Report | September, 2020

Oceana Finds 300 Chinese Vessels Pillaging the Galapagos for Squid

 

An Oceana analysis found nearly 300 Chinese vessels pillaging the waters off the Galapagos Marine Reserve primarily for squid, which are essential to the diet of iconic Galapagos species such as fur seals and hammerhead sharks, as well as for many commercial and recreational fish species, including tuna and billfish, that contribute to the local economy.

Using the Global Fishing Watch — an independent nonprofit founded by Oceana in partnership with Google and SkyTruth — mapping tool, Oceana analyzed data from fishing vessels found near the Galapagos Islands from July 13 to Aug. 13, 2020. During this one-month period, Oceana documented the Chinese fleet, which was primarily fishing for squid, logged more than 73,000 total hours of apparent fishing.* In fact, 99% of the visible fishing activity off the Galapagos Islands during this one-month period was by Chinese-flagged vessels.