Raid on Poacher's Camp Results in Large Seizure in the Galapagos

Nine days ago, we reported the capture of 15,933 poached sea-cucumbers by Galapagos National Park Rangers. The boiled and pickled creatures were confiscated from a house on San Cristobal Island.

On January 6th, the National Park rangers struck again but this time they seized 100,000 sea-cucumbers from a poacher's camp on the coast of the island of San Cristobal.

The rangers also seized 409 shark fins. The camp is located near Carthage Bay. The raid was carried out by National Environmental Police and Park rangers from the patrol vessel Guadalupe River. The poachers had fled and deserted the camp at the approach of the rangers.

The poaching of sea-cucumbers, a small marine invertebrate is a serious ecological problem in the Galapagos. The demand for these small animals in Asia is motivating fishermen in the Galapagos to break the law by becoming poachers. Sea Cucumber populations have been decimated in the islands.

This raid is a serious economic blow to the illegal operations on Isabela Island.

The Sea Shepherd patrol vessel Sirenian is working in partnership with the Guadalupe River to search out these secret poaching camps on the islands.

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