By Erick Asencio, Artisanal Fisher from the Galápagos Islands
As far back as I can remember, I have been navigating the ocean surrounding the Galápagos Islands.
When I was only 10 years old, my father taught me how to drive our fiber-glass fishing boat in the waters around our home of Puerto Ayora, a coastal town on the island of Santa Cruz in the center of the Galápagos archipelago.
Some of my first memories are of reeling in mullet fish, salemas, and pompano with my brother and grandfather, who was one of the first fishers in the Galápagos Islands arriving from mainland Ecuador in 1966.
My grandfather and father instilled in me that fishing is not just about catching fish to sustain our livelihood; it's about understanding the rhythms of the ocean, respecting its creatures, and living in harmony with nature.
During our family boating trips, we saw marlins and orcas jumping out of the water not far from the port. At first I was afraid to be so close to this amazing marine life, but I grew to love travelling alongside them. Connecting with them deepened my respect for the ocean, which I consider our shared backyard. Like the orcas and marlin, I know my way around our waters like the back of my hand.
In recent years, I no longer see orcas or marlins so close to shore. The fish seem to be less abundant, and some species that were once common are now rare or appear smaller.
As a third-generation artisanal fisher, I often must travel further to find fish — one of my recent trips lasted 12 days because fish were not in the spots we used to find them. The Galápagos fisheries have also shifted toward yellowfin tuna, and we’ve had to adapt and learn new fishing techniques and sites.
Witnessing these shifts in the marine environment motivated me to participate in a sustainable fishing pilot project that seeks to implement technology to transform the way fishing is approached in the Galápagos.
To promote responsible fishing, organizations such as Jocotoco, WildAid, and the Charles Darwin Research Station are supporting the fishing sector to test innovative technology created by Shellcatch. This technology includes an on-board GPS-integrated camera and a cell phone application that functions as an electronic logbook, enabling fishers to more accurately trace their catches.
One of the benefits of this automated system is that it records what I catch via a camera system installed on my fiberglass fishing boat, which functions as an electronic fishery observer. The camera electronically communicates with a phone app, which logs information such as the day, time, and location of the catch, and even the type of fishing gear used. It records non-target catch episodes to verify the use of good handling and release practices for protected species in the Galapagos Marine Reserve.
This technology can also generate QR codes for product packaging or restaurant menus so consumers can discover where a fish was caught and watch the video recording of the catch.
Currently, fishers lack access to fair and conscientious markets that promote sustainable catches. This indirectly causes greater pressure on commercial fish stocks, prioritizing quantity over quality. Using this technology can improve the traceability of our fish products, which could potentially increase their value in the market and encourage more sustainable fishing practices.
In recent years, fish exports have been considered the solution to obtain better prices for our products. However, a 2023 WildAid report showed that both tourists and locals would be willing to pay more for a product that can guarantee traceability of the catch.
I believe fishing in the Galápagos should guarantee food security and sovereignty, while allowing for sustainable opportunities to support and advance our local communities and benefit consumers.
The 2020 Galápagos Government Council’s sustainable development and land management use plan showed that at least 80% of the population in the Galápagos earned most of their income from the tourism sector, yet the commercial relationship between the tourism and artisanal fishing sectors is handled informally.
Together, artisanal fishers must unite to protect our ocean and explore new partnerships with the tourism industry to establish fair, sustainable, and traceable markets for our catch. Incorporating monitoring technology to link us with potential markets and consumers is an invaluable opportunity to generate added value to our fish products and to keep the consumption of our fish on our islands.
I am joining other fishers in a collective effort to offer our local expertise and knowledge to help inform the development of new regulations within the Galapagos Marine Reserve that aim to improve fisheries and ecosystem management for marine life. These efforts are another way to help prioritize quality over quantity, and to ensure that our seas remain bountiful for generations to come. These actions are supported by organizations such as Jocotoco and Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead, I remain optimistic and committed to making a difference. By sharing my story, I hope to steer my community toward a more sustainable future, while preserving our traditions for those who follow in our wake.
This story is provided by the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, which works with partners to advance the global 30x30 goal in collaboration with artisanal fishers and local communities for the benefit of future generations.