Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: Looming Food Shortage

elcomercio.com.ec reported the inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands did not receive 3400 tons per month of products, perishable and non-perishable, by decreasing cargo ships arriving from the mainland. This is estimated this Saturday, January 31, 2014, the governor of Galapagos, Jorge Torres. According to the authority, the normal supply of the islands should be about 6000 tons of products monthly, if the six freighters carrying the products were all operational. “With the stranding of the ship Floreana, now only have two boats, carrying 2600 tons of products,” he said. The Floreana ran aground last Wednesday at Shipwreck Bay, Port Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island. The ship was carrying 1400 tons of cargo, including food and petroleum products. Another freighter, the Galapaface I ran aground in the port sector Carola in San Cristobal, last May with 19,300 gallons of fuel. Yesterday, the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) of the island, called the declaration of environmental emergency. The measure is expected to face possible adverse consequences for the environment of the islands, and to ensure a faster supply of food to the population. The Governor announced that currently two plans are implemented to prevent food shortages.

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The first is the use of a state-owned barge Astinave, which will carry between 500 and 600 tons of non-perishable products, as well as building materials, and expected to arrive at the islands between Thursday and Friday. The boat was finishing yesterday load products from the dock Caraguay, south of Guayaquil. The other option is the air transport of perishable foods such as fruits and vegetables. According to Torres, military aircraft of the Air Force made three weekly flights to Galapagos with the shipment of food. A first flight will arrive on Tuesday Isabela with 5 tons; while another ship will land on the same day Baltra, with 20 tons of food. The Governor added that the order of declaration of emergency was analyzed. In this regard, he said that so far has not been registered spill fuel. FIGURE 6000 tons per month of products requires Galapagos from the mainland. Read Article