UN Agency May Strike Galapagos Island from World Heritage List
12/9/97
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Headline: UN Agency May Strike Galapagos Island from World Heritage List
Source: Agency France-Presse
Date: 12/9/97
Copyright: 1997 by Agence France-Presse
QUITO, Dec 9 (AFP) - The Galapagos Islands, famed for its rare
animal and plant species, may loose international aid and the
distinction of being one of the UN World Heritage Sites, recognized
for their historic and natural value.
The UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization has given
Ecuador three months to hammer out an environmental law protecting
its unique archipelego, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the
coast, according to Mario Jaramillo, Ecuador's minister for
education and culture.
Finalizing the new law has been mired in a dispute that pits the
Ecuadoran tuna industry against the archipelego's traditional
fisherman and environmental advocates.
At issue is a proposal to extend a fishing exclusion zone from
15 to 40 miles from the islands' beaches.
Ecuadoran tuna fishermen argue that the fish are migratory, and
nearly half their potential haul are swimming within the 40-mile
limit. But environmentalists and others claim that the tuna nets
entrap sharks, turtles, eels and other species, depleting native
food sources.
Ecuador exported 45.3 million dollars of tuna between January
and July this year, compared to 32.8 million dollars in exports
during all of 1996. Meeting national and international demands for
fish accounts for thousands of Ecadoran jobs.
The UN has designated some 552 World Heritage Sites, including
the Florida Everglades and Taj Majal in India.
Besides loosing the UN distinction, the Galapagos may loose its
only, slender source of international environmental aid and will be
considered a heritage site at risk of extinction.