Global Fishing Watch data for 28 August to 23 September 2026 records 186.8 hours of apparent fishing inside the legal boundary of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, spread over 24 active days, from vessels of a single flag state (Ecuador). An independent geometric check found that 186.8 hours — 100% of the total — fell in cells well inside the reserve (a 15% inset on each side), so this is not an artefact of vessels working along the boundary line. Rolling windows the following days show a similar picture: 183.4 hours and then 177.5 hours.
What this is not: it is not proof of illegal activity. Industrial fishing is banned here, but licensed local artisanal fishing is lawful in some zones, and Ecuador-flagged effort may be entirely permitted. Zoning inside the reserve is not modelled. "Apparent fishing" is inferred by a model from vessel movement, not observed catch; drifting or transiting boats can be misread. Vessels without AIS are invisible, so the true figure could be higher.
What would change our mind: a zoning map showing the effort sits in a legal artisanal zone, a revised GFW model version, or the effort vanishing in later windows.
Written by AI, then checked by a separate reviewer before publication. Every claim points at the evidence below.