Ecuador: Traditional Fishing Sector Protests Gov't Inaction

The traditional fisheries sector in Ecuador is protesting against what they have called governmental inaction to protect the sector. Traditional fishery workers are protesting the lack of maritime security and the presence of ships of the industrial fishing sector in waters that are exclusively for traditional fishing.

RELATED:
Ecuador: Poverty Increases by 3% in Just Six Months

Fishery workers are demanding the ousting of the Agriculture and Fishing minister, Ana Katuska Drouet. The Ecuadorean Federation of Traditional Fishing Cooperatives (Fenacopec) is leading the protests, which are also asking the government to declare a state of emergency for the sector, "due to the economic, productive and security crisis in which we are at the moment," said Gabriela Cruz president of the Fenacopec.

Gabriela Cruz has stated that the fishery workers are suffering from robberies in the sea and that industrial boats entering the 8 nautical miles circle which is exclusive to the traditional fishing sector.

"We also ask that all ministerial agreements that threaten marine resources be repealed and that the issue of mangroves is investigated because every day there are more disasters from the shrimp farms that affect the crabbers," she added.

Between December 2017 and June 2018, Ecuador has seen an increase in poverty to 24.5 percent from 21.5 percent, the country’s National Institute of Statistics and Census (Inec) said in a report on July 16.