Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: Sea Cucumber Fishing Season Delayed

According to GalapagosPark.org the Union of Fishing Cooperatives of the Galapagos (UCOOPEPGAL) asked for a delay in the start of the 2011 season of sea cucumber fishing. Fishermen are dealing with a scarcity of fuel in the Galapagos, which is necessary for small vessels where the sea cucumber processing happens. These vessels are prohibited from processing sea cucumber on National Park territory. Officials say the Galapagos National Park has decided to delay the start of the fishing season to July 1st. Starting then, fishermen will be able to harvest up to 1 million sea cucumbers for 60 days. Fishermen are required to harvest cucumbers with a minimum size of 20 cm fresh and 7 cm when cooked. Officials say that all fishing boats have to be registered with the National Park and have the necessary permits and licenses. The National Park will monitor the fishing process throughout the season.Read Article