Ecuador declared the world-famous Galapagos Islands at risk today and warned that visitor permits and flights to the islands could be suspended.

The government also said it will enforce rigorous population restrictions to prevent further environmental harm to the islands.

“We are pushing for a series of actions to overcome the huge institutional, environmental and social crisis in the islands,” President Rafael Correa said after signing an emergency decree to help the archipelago.

Mr Correa did not provide any details about the possible restrictions, but said the country would consider suspending some tourism permits. He today ordered his government ministers to meet within 15 days to come up with proposals.

Currently the Galapagos islands receive 100,000 visitors a year, many of whom come to visit the world-famous giant tortoises.Five of the 13 islands are inhabited and all but three per cent of the islands are a national park.

A growing population, illegal fishing of sharks and sea cucumbers, and internal bickering at the national park have taken a toll, while the number of cruise ships has grown and even a hotel opened last year. Three years ago plans were also put forward for a monorail system around the islands.

“The government needs to be stricter on what is allowed there as pressure on Galapagos grows,” said Martin Wikelski, a biologist at Princeton University. “It is one of the world’s most unique ecosystems... and continues to be one of the most important laboratories for evolution studies.”

The Ecuadorian ground agent for Journey Latin America, the biggest British tour operator to the continent, said: "It's good news for the National Park. Technically, the state of emergency, will give the Galápagos Province and the National Park within (97% of the land surface), first priority to solve important issues.

"The state of emergency will help reassign resources for conservation and by-pass bureaucratic stages allowing decisions to by promptly put into effect.

"No possible restrictions for the operation of tourism to Galapagos have been mentioned – with the exception of the suspension of new tourism permits - and it is understood that actions will be taken on other aspects affecting the archipelago, such as enforcing migration restrictions, illegal fishing, the introduction of invasive species and internal conflicts among local authorities."

The volcanic islands, located 625 miles (1,000 km) west of Ecuador’s coast, inspired British naturalist Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Centenarian tortoises and blue-footed boobies live alongside the 18,000 islanders who earn a living from fishing and a growing tourism industry. About 15,000 people are believed to live illegally in the islands, government officials said.

A United Nations delegation is visiting the islands to determine whether the World Heritage site should be declared “in danger.”,The Galapagos Islands were declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1979 for their exotic flora and fauna, including giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies.

Further information: Galapagos Conservation Trust

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