GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK PRESS RELEASE
Tuna fishing boat "El Dorado" kills dolphins in the Galapagos Marine Reserve
An illegal act happened last weekend in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. The 'El Dorado' fishing boat, under a Columbian flag but associated with the Ecuadorian tuna fishing company INEPACA, was found fishing on 31 May 2002, 11 miles from the coast of Espaņola. Park wardens of the Galapagos National Park found at least 50 dead or dying dolphins in a net.
The park wardens filmed evidence of the dead dolphins floating on the surface, and others gasping to breathe in the net. That night, the 'El Dorado' was escorted into the bay of Puerto Ayora.
According to the witness statements of the wardens and the filmed evidence, the boat attacked dolphins swimming with yellow fin tuna without taking into account any of the international regulations on dolphin conservation. The boat did not have any observers, as required, and was not authorised to fish in this way, particularly within the Galapagos Marine Reserve.
The total catch was 8 yellow fin tuna of approximately 35 kilos each, and the rest of the capture were dozens of dying and dead dolphins.
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