*Spotlight:*/ecuador

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Spotlight: Ecuador - Oceans Futures - WWF

Ecuador | WWF / Oceans Futures

Summary

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Ecuador is recognized for its marine conservation efforts and the largest industrial fishing fleet in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Recently, conflict in the maritime space has increased. Artisanal fishers regularly protest new conservation regulations as they face falling profits. Massive foreign fleets, predominantly from China, are prevalent in the waters west of the Galapagos. These foreign fleets do incredible environmental damage and cause problems for the domestic fishery.  On the mainland, illicit drug trade is increasingly intersecting with the fishing sector. Climate change is driving key fisheries, such as tuna and giant squid, southwards out of Ecuadorian waters. The government is responding by partnering with foreign militaries, NGOs, and regional fisheries management organizations to strengthen enforcement capacity and transparency. This commitment to ocean health, based on robust data collection, creates a solid foundation for navigating climate and resulting fisheries in the decades to come.

Introduction

Ecuador's marine environment is iconic. It is home to the Galapagos Marine Reserve, [the seventh largest marine protected area in the world](https://www.wwf.org.ec/nuestrotrabajo/dondetrabajamos/). This UNESCO World Heritage Site protects [over 2,900 marine species](https://conservation-development.net/Projekte/Nachhaltigkeit/DVD_12_WHS/Material/files/WCMC_Galapagos_Islands.pdf), [one-fifth of which are endemic](https://www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/biodiversity/). The Galapagos Islands are located at the confluence of warm and cold ocean currents that produce nutrient-rich waters and support exceptional biodiversity. The Gulf of Guayaquil, on Ecuador’s southern continental coast, is a 230-km-long inlet where fresh water from the mountains meets the saline Central Pacific to create a biodiverse estuary. The gulf is home to Isla Puna and the Santa Clara Marine Reserve, where mangroves, shellfish, and seabirds thrive.

Ecuador has an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) five times the size of its land mass. Its waters hold some of the most valuable fisheries in the Pacific such as tuna, jumbo squid, and mahi-mahi. Its maritime commodities are valued at between [$3 billion and $4 billion](https://www.undp.org/facs/ecuador-sustainable-fisheries) annually, encompassing 1.5% of the country’s total GDP. Marine and coastal resources support a small-scale fishing fleet of [15,500](https://www.undp.org/facs/ecuador-sustainable-fisheries) fishing vessels, directly employing 58,000 individuals. Climate change and an influx of highly efficient foreign fishing fleets threaten these riches.

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Fisheries Conflict

Causes of fisheries conflict in Ecuador have evolved in recent decades. During the beginning of the 21st century, localized social conflict occurred over sustainable fishing practices. Ecuadorian fishers protested new regulations intended to protect marine resources because they constrained access to foreign markets. Eventually, the foreign fleets themselves arrived in Ecuador’s fishing grounds and the magnitude of their catch now threatens sustainability.

According to our data culled from media reports, fisheries conflicts have not increased in frequency; however, conflicts are taking on a larger geopolitical significance. In August 2022, a Chinese squid-fishing vessel [charged a US Coast Guard mission](https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/china-us-tensions-illegal-fishing-fleet-coast-guard/) investigating IUU fishing near the Galapagos Islands. And the level of violence of small events appears to be increasing, with domestic fishing vessels facing a growing threat of piracy and violent attacks.

### Clash with Conservation

Efforts to regulate fishing have frequently been resisted. In May of 2000, the Ministry of the Environment limited sea cucumber fishing to two months or 4.5 million units. In response, Ecuadorian artisanal fishers took hostage a dozen tortoises on Isabela Island. The protest was repeated that same month after authorities enforced limits on shellfish catch. Later that year, approximately 900 fishers seized control of the Charles Darwin Foundation's research operations on Isabela, Santa Cruz, and San Cristobal islands to protest limits on lobster catches and a ban on shark fishing. Fishers attacked conservation installations, blockaded ports, and harassed tourist groups. Hundreds of fishers forced park wardens to flee to mangrove swamps in fear for their lives.

A string of conservation-driven conflicts took place on the Galapagos Islands in 2004. Galapagos National Park officials set new policies in response to a growing fishing sector.  Recent migrants to the islands used trawl nets and longlines and captured protected species. In response, fishers occupied national park offices, barricaded the national park entrances, blocked roads, and burned tires. The mobilization ended in February 2004. In May, fishers demanded the government lift all limits on sea cucumber fishing. Approximately 50 fishers seized a gas depot on Santa Cruz Island. Others forced the closure of public offices on Isabela Island or formed a blockade of embarking tourists on Espanola Island. In September of that year, National Park rangers staged protests following the firing of reserve director Edwin Naula and his planned replacement with Fausto Cepeda, a councilor known for appeasing commercial fishers regarding sea cucumber policies. Galapagos fishers launched a counter protest in favor of Cepeda and his pro-fishing policies that support their livelihood over environmental and tourism concerns.

### Market Demand

The frenzy of fishing over the Galapagos sea cucumber was driven by market demand in Asia where it is used as an aphrodisiac. Sea lions are also victims of the aphrodisiac market. In 2001, [15 sea lions](https://www.nature.com/articles/35086738) were slaughtered on a beach in San Cristobal, Galapagos for their teeth and male genitals. The perpetrators were believed to be local fishers who were facing a decline in the price of sea cucumber.

Sharks may be the most grievously impacted by market demand. Their fins are a vital ingredient in the traditional Chinese delicacy shark fin soup. The Galapagos Marine Reserve hosts the </span>[highest concentration of sharks in the world](https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/species/galapagos-shark/). In 2011, Ecuadorian authorities found [357 dead](https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/world/2011-07/22/content_12959242.htm) sharks on a fishing vessel southeast of Genovesa Island inside of the reserve. In 2012, 40 sharks were confiscated in the town of Manabi. This event coincided with a presidential decree that sharks accidentally caught by fishers could be sold to help supplement their incomes. Accordingly, domestic shark catch went up dramatically. In 2017, Chinese fishers aboard the Fu Yuan Leng 999 were arrested in Galapagos Island waters with more than 300 tons of sharks and other sea creatures aboard. In response, thousands of Galapagos inhabitants demonstrated to demand an extension of the islands’ territorial waters from 40 to 100 miles, counteracting illegal Chinese fishing in the area.

### Drug Trafficking

Ecuador’s location makes it a strategic location for [trafficking Colombian cocaine](https://insightcrime.org/news/gang-massacres-nine-ecuador-fight-drug-routes-intensifies/) to North America, Europe, and Australia. Some of the illegal fishing that occurs within Ecuador’s EEZ is by organized crime syndicates involved in drug smuggling and other illicit activities. Mafia groups in the country require fishers to pay them fees or have their engines stolen. The Esmereldas province reported [850 cases](https://earthjournalism.net/stories/artisanal-fishers-in-ecuador-fight-against-the-current) of engines being stolen from fishing boats within a five year period. Fishers often turn off navigation [lights](https://earthjournalism.net/stories/artisanal-fishers-in-ecuador-fight-against-the-current) to avoid piracy or abduction, resulting in crashes at sea.

Economic vulnerability can also compel fishers in Ecuador to smuggle contraband products such as cocaine. In Esmeraldas, fishers can make up to [$30,000](https://insightcrime.org/news/gang-massacres-nine-ecuador-fight-drug-routes-intensifies/) a week for transporting drugs to Central America or for transshipment to waiting vessels. Fishers in Posorja can earn [$10,000 to $30,000](https://insightcrime.org/news/fishing-village-caught-crosshairs-ecuador-drug-gangs/) for a single trip transporting illicit drugs. This also brings threats of violence between feuding gangs. In June 2021, [two boats were burned and a pair of fishers were shot and robbed of their vessels by contract killers](https://insightcrime.org/news/fishing-village-caught-crosshairs-ecuador-drug-gangs/) in the coastal city of Posorja. [Nine people were killed](https://insightcrime.org/news/gang-massacres-nine-ecuador-fight-drug-routes-intensifies/) at an Esmeraldas artisanal fishing port in April 2023 when 30-armed men belonging to the Tiguerones gang opened fire.

Fishing vessels have also been impacted by domestic and foreign military patrols monitoring drug trafficking. Ecuadorian fishers often report detainment and gear damage. The U.S. Navy frigate, McInerney FFG-8, was prohibited from entering the Manta maritime terminal in response to reports from local fishers who accused the U.S. frigate of sinking Ecuadorian fishing vessels in territorial waters.

### Foreign Fishing Fleets

Artisanal fishing by foreign fleets contributes to the unsustainable levels of fishing in Ecuadorian waters. Between 2000-2022, Ecuadorian authorities seized 1 Panamanian-, 14 Costa Rican-, and 42 Peruvian-flagged fishing vessels. Peruvian fishers arrested near General Villamil-Playas in 2010 claimed they were unable to fish in their home waters due to high levels of pollution. There are also foreign commercial vessels in Ecuador’s EEZ. In 2002, the Colombian tuna boat, El Dorado, was found with 50 dead dolphins in the ship’s illegal nets.

Starting in 2016, attention pivoted to the much larger Chinese fleet working west of the Galapagos waters in the high seas, which made occasional intrusion into the marine reserve. China is a member of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation, making up [62% of the vessels](https://ipdefenseforum.com/2021/09/evolution-of-the-fleet/) registered to operate in the RFMO. The presence of Chinese fishing fleets in South American waters has become more prominent in recent years due to [declining stocks in China](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/27/briefing/china-fishing-galapagos.html).

In 2020, [300 Chinese vessels](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/17/chinese-fishing-armada-plundered-waters-around-galapagos-data-shows) were found near the Galapagos EEZ, drawing public rebuke from Ecuador’s government. During peak fishing season between mid-July and mid-August, Chinese vessels near the Galapagos EEZ deactivated their AIS on [43 separate occasions](https://news.mongabay.com/2020/10/new-evidence-suggests-chinas-dark-vessels-poached-in-galapagos-waters/), indicating potential encroachment. There has been a growing domestic outcry over the operations of Chinese fishing fleets, including civilian protests and government dialogues. Ecuador urged the fishing vessels to stay away from the protected marine area. In response, China imposed a temporary ban on its fishing vessels from operating in the high seas west of the Galapagos Marine Reserve. The fleets were then seen sailing towards Peruvian and Chilean waters, prompting the regional agreement to monitor the fleet.

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Priority Fisheries

Ecuador is an important player in the global tuna industry. The country has the [largest catch, processing capacity, and tuna purse seine fleet in the Eastern Pacific Ocean](https://wwf.org.ec/nuestrotrabajo/que_hacemos/). In 2019, Ecuador was responsible for [more than 40% of the region’s tuna catch](https://globalfishingwatch.org/transparency-program-ecuador/). Tuna and large pelagics (e.g., mahi-mahi, swordfish, and marlin) exports earn approximately [$1.6 billion](https://globalfishingwatch.org/transparency-program-ecuador/) per year and are the third largest source of income for Ecuador. The fishery employs [24,000 individuals](https://www.produccion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Reporte-del-sector-atunero-ingles.pdf) directly and 120,000 indirectly. 53% of the jobs in the industry are held by women. The mahi-mahi longline fishery is particularly lucrative, contributing 6000 metric tons of catch per year. The fishery supports 25,000 Ecuadorian fishers and over 95% of the catch is exported to the U.S. It is also a [highly sustainable fishery](https://seafoodsustainability.org/portfolio/ecuador-mahi/); it has been engaged in a Fishery Improvement Project since 2010 to ensure strong management and data collection, and it is currently being assessed for eco-certification by the Marine Stewardship Council.

Small pelagics such as anchovies made up 52% percent of Ecuador’s 2019 catch. Global demand for fishmeal, a powder used for animal feed, drives the catch of small pelagics. Ecuador has become one of [the world’s top producers of fishmeal](https://insightcrime.org/news/illegal-fishing-ecuador-targets-sardines-anchovies-fishmeal/) and, consequently, overfishing of small fishes has grown increasingly problematic. In 2020, the government responded with a law regulating the processing of fishmeal. Implementation has not been widespread, and [only one](https://insightcrime.org/news/illegal-fishing-ecuador-targets-sardines-anchovies-fishmeal/) of the 64 administrative proceedings enforcing this law resulted in a sanction.

The jumbo squid fishery west of the Galapagos archipelago is also targeted by Chinese fleets. Global catch of cephalopods has [risen over tenfold](https://maritime-executive.com/editorials/squid-fisheries-are-booming-in-a-regulatory-vacuum) since 1950 from 500,000 tonnes annually to 4.85 million tonnes in 2014. Likewise, the fishing effort of global light-luring squid boats increased [increased 68%](https://globalfishingwatch.org/data/data-advances-understanding-global-squid-fishing-fleets/) since 2017. This has [coincided with a decline in traditional fisheries](https://maritime-executive.com/editorials/squid-fisheries-are-booming-in-a-regulatory-vacuum), suggesting that squid is becoming a market substitute for fish whose stocks have already declined. Further, [86%](https://globalfishingwatch.org/data/data-advances-understanding-global-squid-fishing-fleets/) of visible squid fishing was occurring in unregulated areas such as the high seas. The increased targeting of this species beyond national EEZs has been described as “ [one of the most egregious examples of industrialization of the high seas](https://www.tridge.com/news/squid-fishery-thrives-in-regulatory-vacuum).” [Recent investigations](https://www.theoutlawocean.com/investigations/china-the-superpower-of-seafood/) have also shown widespread human rights and labor abuse in the vessels associated with the Chinese squid fleet near Ecuador.

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Governance Solutions

In response to mounting threats of overfishing, Ecuador has taken greater steps toward increasing transparency in the fisheries sector. The govenment partnered with [Global Fishing Watch](https://globalfishingwatch.org/transparency-program-ecuador/) to enhance its monitoring and evaluation capabilities against illegal activities by sharing its fishing vessel tracking data. The transparency program has mapped over 700 vessels since 2021. This effort also supports Ecuador’s efforts to implement the Port State Measures Agreement, an international treaty that aims to prevent IUU by denying suspected vessels access to ports and landing sites.

Ecuador is a member of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), which is responsible for the “Dolphin Safe” tuna program and tuna fishing quotas. In 2019, Ecuador adopted a more proactive approach toward the IATTC, including proposals, though unsuccessful, to increase restrictions and monitoring of tropical tuna fishing. However, there is still no complete official national public data on bycatch. Domestically, the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries Issued a [new Ministerial Agreement](https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/news/104636/ecuador-adopts-national-tuna-action-plan/) adopting the National Tuna Action Plan (PAN ATUN). This plan is set to establish more efficient goals and strategies for preserving and certifying the sustainability of industrial tuna fishing through strategies such as: reducing bycatch, improving environmental impact monitoring, and strengthening the national traceability system.

The Southern Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organization (SPRFMO) has [begun managing jumbo flying squid in the region](https://www.sprfmo.int/assets/Fisheries/Conservation-and-Management-Measures/2023-CMMs/CMM-18-2023-Squid_29Mar23.pdf), setting a vessel limit and total gross tonnage limit, requiring members to collect, verify, and provide all required data including annual catch reports, and requiring each member to have an observer cover 5% of their fishing days. Ecuador also joined forces with Chile, Colombia, and Peru against the Chinese squid fishing fleet working off South America’s western coast. The four nations agreed to improve regional cooperation and real-time exchange of information through the [Permanent Commission to the South Pacific (CPPS)](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/05/prevent-discourage-confront-south-american-states-tackle-chinese-trawlers).

Ecuador partners with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime through the [Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP)](https://www.unodc.org/unodc/frontpage/2023/January/unodc-and-wwf-partner-to-reduce-occurrence-of-crimes-at-sea-and-their-impact-on-ecosystems-and-livelihoods.html). This program supports maritime law enforcement officers to understand what maritime crimes are, how to collect evidence of them, and how to present that evidence in a legal setting. World Wildlife Fund joined this partnership in 2022 to share scientific information on fishing operations and management.

Climate Challenges

Manifestations of climate change will become a stressor on Ecuador’s fisheries in the next 50 years. Warming sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification are going to shift fish migration patterns globally. The Eastern Central Pacific has been identified as a [high-temperature extreme hot spot](https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/sciadv.abh0895). The regional sea surface temperature has increased 1.2 degrees Celsius over the last two decades. Over time, these increases in temperature will translate into deteriorations of marine ecosystems and coral. Furthermore, increased frequency and severity of El Nino and La Nina events are likely to cause [major regime shifts in fisheries](https://www.fao.org/americas/noticias/ver/en/c/1144974/) and overall decrease in plankton abundance, the base of the marine food system. For these reasons, the largest decrease in catches in EEZs by the end of the century are projected to occur in [tropical countries like Ecuador](https://www.fao.org/3/I9705EN/i9705en.pdf).

While there are projections that higher surface sea temperatures will likely yield more variable tuna biomass, other [studies](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259919250_Projecting_the_impacts_of_climate_change_on_skipjack_tuna_abundance_and_spatial_distribution) predict that this increase in biomass will be followed by a marked decrease between 2050 and 2095. Tuna will also be impacted by the migration of squid, an important part of their diet. Squids’ high reproductive rate has been used to justify extensive fishing. However, their fast generation time makes them particularly sensitive to climatic and environmental variability, which may result in a mass loss in suitable habitats. Since 2000, the jumbo squid, the most heavily fished squid species in the world, has been [spreading away from the equator](https://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/documents/Humboldt%20Current%20Road%20Map%2C%20EDF%2C%20Jan.2020.pdf) towards the poles.

The Future of Fisheries

Conservation and fisheries management should be a collaborative, symbiotic relationship. As our oceans transform, this collaboration will become a pivotal fortifying factor in maintaining peace at sea. Ecuador's continued commitment to regional cooperation and transparent data sharing will be vital, particularly in the context of managing highly migratory species whose patterns are shifting. The challenge lies in balancing biodiversity, tourism, sustainable livelihoods, and food security priorities. Success in this endeavor will safeguard not only the prosperity of Ecuador's people but also the vitality of its waters and economy. A promising future is still possible where Ecuador's conservation endeavors and fishing industry can continue to flourish.

Spotlight:ecuador