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Illegal fishing impacts more in the environmental area
Posted On 20 Dec 2017
Ecuadornews:
The authorities of the Sectoral Habitat Council identified in their balance the problems of deforestation, wildlife trafficking and sanitation. The main advances registered by the Sectoral Council of habitat and environment, in six months, are the protection of natural resources and the construction of new houses with basic services for people with scarce economic resources.
Tarsicio Granizo, the main authority of the Ministry of the Environment (MAE), highlighted the policy of conservation and expansion of the areas that are within the protected areas, which constitute 20% of the entire national territory. He, who chairs the Sectorial Council, explained that the objective is to “green” the territory by means of a plan that will be announced next year. The official highlighted the first transboundary biosphere reserve ‘Bosques de paz’ with Peru, the campaigns that stop the illegal trafficking of wild animals and the ministerial agreement declaring the closure of mahogany for a decade.
Granizo mentioned that one of the biggest drawbacks of his State portfolio has been illegal fishing in protected areas, such as the Galapagos. Last August, a Chinese fishing vessel was arrested for the crime of illegal fishing of endangered species and the captain and three assistants were sentenced to three years in prison. In addition, they will cancel $ 6 million to recover the boat. On the 14th of this month, fishing vessel Don Gerard V was apprehended in the northeast of Genovesa Island. Inside were pieces of albacore and swordfish, 30 sharks (threatened category): rabón, azul and silky, which are in the red list of the International Union for Conservation (IUCN).
Houses, water and sanitation
The vice-president María Alejandra Vicuña, highlighted the delivery of 11,350 new housing incentives for the victims of the earthquake on April 16, 2016. “We are about to inaugurate two new developments in Jaramijó and Quinindé, with decent and inclusive housing in safe habitats and with services “. She said that one of the greatest interests of the National Government is the securitization and legalization of lands.
That is why they delivered 800 titles of property of beneficiaries in Mount Sinai. Currently, there are 1,131 lands in the land bank under validation and 131 are prioritized with comprehensive studies underway, whose construction potential is 69,618 homes. On his side, the Secretary of Water, Humberto Cholango, announced that as part of the water and sanitation mission, 130,000 jobs will be created in four years. “We will fight against all diseases caused by inadequate water conditions and that annually represent $ 310 million to the State.” In the same line, he said, they will invest $ 2,000 million over the next four years in these improvements.
Cholango indicated that they develop analyzes to increase the value of raw water. Currently this item represents the State an annual income of $ 3’9 million and with the increase is expected to raise $ 30 million. The proceeds will be reinvested in the protection of water sources and hydraulic infrastructure. The current water and sanitation coverage is 72% of the population and the goal is to reach at least 90% of the population. The River Basin Council and 37 water planning units were formed to care for and protect watersheds and water sources. So far the National Irrigation Plan is updated to guarantee the productive potential, which is 3 million hectares (ha); but half have infrastructure in poor condition. “Only 980,000 have irrigation infrastructure and only 210,000 ha is technified irrigation,” Cholango said. (I)
Source: http://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/
