Jetgala - MAR-MAY 2023

63 Salome Buglass and colleagues deploy a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in search of deep sea kelp that may be new to science, during the Mission Blue Galápagos expedition in 2022. T H E G A L Á P A G O S I S L A N D S “If you can’t protect the Galápagos Islands, what part of the planet can you protect?,” asks Earle, whose groundbreaking new expedition supports her findings: there is a compelling need for increased marine protection. At the Mission Base The Galápagos Islands comprise the Galapágos province, Galápagos National Park, and Galápagos Marine Reserve.Together they form one of the world’s largest and most biologically diverse marine protected areas (MPA), which refers to sites designed to protect biodiversity in its surroundings. The Galápagos’ exceptionally rich ecosystem has been the natural habitat of some endemic species—those that are unique to a specific place and not found anywhere else—a condition that has lured many natural scientists to explore and conduct groundbreaking experiments in the area. A pioneer in this research was Charles Darwin, who visited the archipelago in 1835 aboard the HMS Beagle when he was just 22, but by then already a naturalist. At the Galápagos, Darwin conducted a detailed hydrographic survey that was compiled in his field notes and later published as Journal and Remarks, said to have been the basis of his Theory of Natural Selection. As much as the Galápagos Islands have maintained their natural attractions, it has also attracted many visitors, scientists and tourists alike who benefit from and marvel at its pristine condition. Unfortunately, this situation has also placed its local resources under pressure and led to the introduction of invasive species. Return to the Galápagos The importance of the Galápagos Islands in the healing and survival of our planet cannot be overstated. It is a unique environment – along with the other Hope Spots – where current and future conservation efforts can be implemented and measured. Indeed, this was recognised by the establishment of the Galápagos Marine Reserve in 1998, which protects the entire 133,000 km 2 of the islands’ waters. In 2022, nearly 25 years on from the establishment of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, the time had come to assess