Home
Go2 Galapagos >> The Complete On-line Directory

Go back / Special law of Galapagos is still not completely applicable
GALAPAGOS NEWS
Go2 More Laws & Politics Articles
Special law of Galapagos is still not completely applicable
El Comercio (June 4, 2004)

Migration increases in the archipelago; every 12 years the population duplicates. The laws for investment in the islands have still not been elaborated.

It has been six years since the Special Law of the Province of Galapagos was put in effect. This law was the result of five years of consultation and conversations with the local population. However, in spite of the fact that the Galapagos Islands are considered as the best kept islands, there are still problems that have not been solved.
One of these is migration. If the rate of growth is maintained, the population of the islands would duplicate every 12 years (see chart). A larger number of inhabitants implies an increase in the use of resources, waste accummulation, introduction of deseases, plants and insects... For instance, more boats would be needed to take fuel to the islands, with the danger this represents of a new oil spill.

Puerto Ayora, the urban center of Santa Cruz is the place with the most population growth. This area does not have a sewage system because the geological conditions are not appropriate for this type of infrastructure. In its place, each home has a septic well. This has been considered a potential threat for the inhabitants of the islands.

The matter of space and the pressure on the land of the National Park is evident in Puerto Ayora, but is a constant in almost every island. While only 2.5% of the Galapagos territory is inhabited (200 square kilometers), it is understandable that there is less and less space for those who come to work and live in the islands.
But migration is linked to various problems and legal vacuums. One of them is that legislation for investments in the Galapagos does not exist. Conditions as to who and how investments in the archipelago should be done are not clear, and neither the participation of local inhabitants in the investment.
In the Board of the Instituto Nacional Galapagos (INGALA) four drafts for this legislation were written, and still a definite proposal has not been made. Currently, any person (local or foreign) may, if they have enough money, buy the scarse and expensive available land in the islands.
The pressure on the marine resources is also evident. The number of fishermen has multiplied several times. The majority of fishermen are migrants that arrived to Galapagos in order to capture sea cucumbers, whose numbers and size have drastically decreased.
In 50 years the population in Galapagos has grown 13 times:
Year
Population
1950
13,456
2001
18,640
2010
30,000 (estimated)
The population growth is the islands is 5.8% annually and population growth in continental Ecuador is 2.1% annually.
YEAR
# OF FISHERMEN
NUMBER OF BOATS
1.985
86
369
1.993
392
101
1.996
455
270
1.998
613
197
1.999
795
222
2.000
682
417
2.001
956
446
 
For detailed info write us to: info@go2galapagos.com