A letter from Dr. Alex Antoniou, Director of Field Operations for the Shark Research Institute:
"As some of you know, we have been conducting a fund raising drive to be able
to begin a residency study on the sharks of the Galapagos. This is essential
research to help the Galapagos National Park with their protection and management
of the Galapagos Marine Preserve. Our goal was to raise $5,000 to be able to
purchase 10 radio tags and 2 receivers. Let me explain a little about how these
work. The receivers are anchored to the sea floor where we know the sharks would
swim by. The sharks are then tagged...
"The fishermen in the Galapagos are continuing to pressure the Ecuadorian Gov.
to allow them to long line within the Marine Preserve. You may have read the
lead article in out last newsletter: Here is what it reported:
"On February 19,
2004, 50 fishermen from Santa Cruz and Isabela islands committed an act of
terrorism. The local media called it a “strike” for “freedom” when
the fishermen took 33 scientists hostage, seized the headquarters of the Galápagos
National Park and the Darwin Research Station, and threatened to kill the giant
tortoises there (including Lonesome George, the sole surviving member of his
species). The “freedom” the fishermen seek is abolishment of regulations
designed to protect marine species, including removal of the park’s patrol
boats, freedom to set longlines in the Marine Reserve and sell shark ‘by-catch’..."
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