Hello, and welcome back to the Latin America Weekly newsletter. In this issue: A new marine reserve in the Galapagos. Tensions on the Venezuela-Colombia border. Latin America unlikely to reap the benefits of higher minimum wages.
Ecuador creates conservation reserve in the Galapagos
Marine biologists had a reason to celebrate over the weekend, after Ecuador created the brand-new Hermandad Marine Reserve between the Galapagos Islands and the isle of Cocos, owned by Costa Rica.
- The reserve bans fishing in a 30,000-square kilometer patch of the Pacific Ocean, while longline fishing is prohibited in another area of the same size, where scientific research and sustainable aquaculture will be permitted.
- The Hermandad reserve was set up to secure safe migration corridors for hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, whale sharks, and other species in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
Why it matters. The Galapagos Islands are a UN Natural World Heritage Site, being home to almost 3,000 marine species — 18 percent of which are endemic.
- The region has an important place in scientific history, as it was there that Charles Darwin conducted his studies on evolution in the 1830s, which led to his theory of natural selection.
Effort. The Hermandad Marine...