Galápagos FAD abandonment entangling sharks and other megafauna
Key Questions
What problems are caused by abandoned FADs in the Galápagos Marine Protected Area?
Between 2017 and 2026, 277 Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) have been abandoned in the Galápagos MPA, leading to entanglements of sharks, whales, and turtles. These derelict FADs pose a significant threat to megafauna in the region.
What shark protections were agreed upon at CMS CoP15 in Brazil?
At the CMS CoP15 conference in Brazil (July 7-10, 2026), landmark protections were established, listing thresher sharks, great hammerheads, and scalloped hammerheads on Appendix I, and the Patagonian smoothhound on Appendix II. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is pushing for national rollout and fisheries bans based on these agreements.
What measures are recommended to address FAD abandonment and related threats in the Galápagos?
Recommendations include Galápagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) logs, enhanced enforcement, and surveys using eDNA, BRUV, and tagging to monitor entanglements and bycatch. Additional focus is on mitigating bottom trawling threats to critically endangered giant guitarfish and endangered zebra sharks, drawing lessons from Mexico's fisheries protections and CMS CoP15 outcomes.
277 abandoned FADs in Galápagos MPA (2017–2026); entanglements (sharks/whales/turtles). CMS CoP15 Brazil (2026-07-07/10) landmark protections: App I threshers/great/scalloped hammers, App II Patagonian smoothhound; Mexico adopts Atlantic bans; Maldives shark sanctuary spotlight in mig summit aligns; WCS rollout; HMSC Mexico lessons; +bottom trawling CR guitarfish/zebra shark; req GNPD logs/enforcement/surveys (eDNA/BRUV/tagging)/trawling bycatch/Mexico data; track US ratification vs God Squad.