Empowering Circular Communities on the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Gathering information

Within the framework of this project, workshops, interviews, and information gathering on fish waste in Santa Cruz Island were conducted. The workshops, held on January 27 and February 3, 2024, involved 25 participants from various sectors, including the Pelican Bay Fishing Cooperative, restaurant owners, chefs, and representatives from the Government Council of the Galápagos Special Regime, the Ministry of Production, and the Autonomous Government of Santa Cruz Island.

The workshops used the Circular Value Flower method, developed by Dutch experts to create circular communities through practical and sustainable strategies’, says Fátima Delgado. This method helps communities work together to close resource loops (like materials, energy, water, and nutrients) and shows the benefits (social, ecological, aesthetic, cultural, and economic) of a circular approach. It's been successful in the Netherlands, Africa, India, and Indonesia, leading to lower environmental impact and new job opportunities. Dr. Els Leclercq, the method's creator, aims to foster Circular Communities that collectively manage product life cycles at a local level. Involved in the workshop were Pelicano Bay Fishing Cooperative fishermen from Santa Cruz Island.

Additionally, fishers, restaurant owners, farmers, municipal authorities, and representatives from governmental and non-governmental institutions were interviewed. Delgado added, "The interviews aimed to understand the actions, roles, and responsibilities of various key actors within the fish waste production in Puerto Ayora, Galápagos."

The results of these workshops will be used to promote circular economy initiatives that contribute to improving the Santa Cruz Island seafood system, generating economic and environmental benefits in the medium and long term.

Challenges of the Seafood System

The Galápagos seafood system faces various environmental and anthropogenic challenges that jeopardize the food security, economy, nutrition, and health of the archipelago's inhabitants. If not managed properly, fish waste can contaminate water and soil, facilitate the proliferation of invasive species, or disrupt local fauna. Additionally, the decomposition of organic matter can produce unpleasant odours and harmful gasses, affecting the quality of life and well-being of local communities, as well as the tourism potential of the archipelago. Finally, fish waste remains a lost economic opportunity to reuse all the raw materials that fish offer, which can be transformed into value-added products such as dietary supplements, leather goods, fertilizer, and organic plastic, among others, creating new income and employment sources for coastal communities.

"Circular economy represents a solution to mitigate the environmental impacts generated by fish waste and other wasted organic matter (waste from cows and pigs) by transforming them into marketable products. This would create economic incentives to implement a more efficient and responsible environmental management system, contributing to creating a circular community that is resilient and self-sufficient," stated researcher Mauricio Castrejón, UDLA representative in the Galápagos.

Dra. Angela Díaz, innovation specialist at UDLA, adds: "The circular economy project executed by Pelicano Bay Cooperative with technical and scientific assistance from UDLA and TUDelft represents progress towards finding practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by the Galápagos Islands seafood system. Collaboration between fishermen, academia, chefs, and entrepreneurs is essential to ensure the success and sustainability of such innovative initiatives,"