WWF Travel Blog

Galápagos land iguana © James Frankham / WWF-Canon

For more than 45 years, WWF has played an integral role in protecting nature in the Galápagos Islands. WWF’s goal in the Galápagos is to maintain a marine environment that supports its diverse and abundant native species – and the people who depend upon it for their livelihoods. On land, WWF works to prevent extinctions and make sure that the uninhabited islands remain in ecologically sound condition.

One of WWF’s most important achievements in the history of the organization was helping to push through the special law that designated the Galápagos a national park. It provided the framework for the long-term conservation of the islands. Specifically, the special law controls migration to the islands, established a quarantine system – critical to handling the problem of introduced species – and banned industrial fishing in the Galápagos Marine Reserve.

The law also ensures that 90 percent of the revenue collected from visitor entry fees at Galápagos National Park directly supports local institutions. This dedicated funding provides the park with much-needed stability to ensure basic enforcement and protection.

To further achieve its goals, WWF has focused on four areas that offer the greatest opportunity to solve the challenges facing these islands: sustainable tourism and migration, innovative fisheries management, improved waste management and support of the Galápagos National Park Service.

Sustainable tourism and migration regulation
Greater and greater numbers of people migrate to the Galápagos every year. In 1990, the population was 9,700. Today, it tops 28,000. The islands also see more than 100,000 annual visitors. This influx of people has put an enormous strain on delicate ecosystems.

WWF collaborates with tour operators – including Natural Habitat Adventures – conservation groups, scientists and businesses to create sustainable tourism practices and regulate migration. This is done, in part, by:

• Providing the National Institute for Galápagos and the police with training, equipment and technology needed to manage migration.
• Obtaining approval from the president of Ecuador to fully implement the Galápagos Special Law, which regulates migration.
• Encouraging tour companies to strictly follow regulations.
• Motivating tour operators to adopt employment and labor standards for contracting locals and pay for periodic audits and certification of these practices.
• Establishing a tourism monitoring system for the Galápagos National Park Service.

Innovative fisheries management
Overfishing and illegal industrial fishing are serious threats to the islands’ delicate marine ecosystem. Those practices deplete commercial fish, destroy marine environments and cripple communities whose livelihoods and health depend on fish.

WWF is creating and improving sustainable fisheries management programs and getting local fishing cooperatives involved in making decisions that directly affect them. WWF helps monitor and manage key fisheries, making sure their staff follows regulations. And WWF supports cooperatives that use alternative fishing practices and thus minimize environmental impact.

Governance and enforcement of the marine reserve
The enormous size of the Galápagos marine reserve makes enforcement of established laws quite difficult. WWF continues to work with the Galápagos National Park Service to improve how laws are governed. For instance, WWF aims to help the park service institute a system that monitors tourism vessels and fishing boats to make sure the law is being followed.

Improving waste management
An increasing local population, tourism and outdated energy practices create serious and growing threats of pollution. Pollution could quickly grow and lead to groundwater contamination, which affects people and wildlife on the islands and marine life in the ocean.