Mike Pompeo asks China to control illegal fishing in the Galapagos

The Secretary of the United States Department of State , Mike Pompeo , expressed his support for Ecuador for the inconvenience with the Chinese fishing fleet that surrounds the Galapagos archipelago and endangers marine fauna.

Through his Twitter account, Pompeó declared that his country supports Ecuador and asked the People’s Republic of China to “ stop participating in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing .

The Ecuadorian Navy identified hundreds of foreign ships that are located on the maritime boundary of the Galapagos Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a natural area inhabited by unique species in the world. Chinese boats try to hunt animals such as sharks and other types of fish.

“It is time for China to stop its unsustainable practices,” Pompeo said. The American official questioned that the Asian giant is not complying with the rules of respect for the sovereignty of the rest of the countries and that it is the architect of environmental degradation in the oceans.

In a statement, the secretary of state noted that the Chinese government subsidizes the world’s largest fishing fleet, but that it constantly violates the jurisdiction of coastal nations . To protect the maritime space, the Navy monitors that the boats do not enter the national territory illegally.

The Ecuadorian Government has also expressed its discomfort  at the presence of Asian ships on the edge of the EEZ. The Chancellery works in political negotiations to address the issue from the international level and prevent maritime sovereignty from continuing to be at risk. Other countries in the region have indicated their support for Ecuador. (I)