A new marine reserve to protect the precious biodiversity that characterises the seabeds of the Galápagos. This is the recent decision taken by Ecuador, in order to safeguard the extraordinary forms of life that inhabit the waters of the archipelago.

97 per cent of the territory of the Galápagos is already protected by Unesco as a world heritage site, owing to the importance the archipelago holds in Darwin's theory of evolution, yet only 1 per cent of its waters had adequate protection. The new national park will encompass a further 21 small protected areas, ensuring the safeguarding of 47,000 square kilometres of seabed. The marine park will also include Darwin and Wolf islands to the north. The park will protect 1,000 kilometres of Ecuadorian coastline and a total area equal to that of Belgium: 32% of the waters surrounding the Galápagos will finally receive adequate protection.

The waters of the Galápagos had recently had to contend with significant problems, including illegal fishing and oil extraction. The new decision by the Ecuadorian government will prevent the waters of the archipelago from being put at risk again.

According to data recently presented by National Geographic, the fish biomass of this region is impressive: 17.5 tonnes per hectare, almost double that of Cocos Island in Costa Rica, the second richest marine area in the world in terms of biodiversity.

The Galápagos, specifically, boasts the highest global density of sharks in its waters. There are 34 species inhabiting these seabeds, including the largest species in the world.

The establishment of the protected area will be not only a guarantee for Ecuador's environmental heritage, but also a valuable economic driver. According to data released by the University of California, the life of each shark is worth around 5.4 million dollars to the archipelago's tourism industry, while a dead shark can fetch fishers a maximum of two hundred dollars. The project was also brought to completion thanks to the National Geographic Foundation, which forged valuable alliances with local fishing cooperatives. The new marine reserve therefore represents a winning solution for the government, fishers and environmental sustainability.