Exploring Innovative Management for the Red Spiny Lobster Fishery in the Galápagos Islands

The red spiny lobster (Panulirus penicillatus) is a keystone species in the marine ecosystem of the Galápagos Island archipelago. Currently, it is the most valuable single-species fishery in the islands and provides livelihoods for many fishermen. Despite management efforts, landings have declined over the past decade, which has led to uncertainty regarding the health and future of the fishery. Through the application of data-poor assessments (DPAs) we identified overfishing as a contributing factor to the decline in landings; therefore, a reduction in catch is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the fishery. To address this reduction, we explored two management strategies. The first approach assessed the feasibility of establishing spatial rights for the fishery. Our analysis demonstrates that, though there are barriers, a territorial use rights fishery (TURF) is a feasible strategy for reducing fishing pressure. The second approach addresses the projected loss of income fishermen would experience with a mandated reduction in catch. We found that this loss could be offset by increasing the amount of lobster sold locally by increasing demand with marketing campaigns. Through the development of innovative strategies the fishery could become sustainable, provide economic benefit to fishermen, and support the conservation of this iconic archipelago.