We all know the common-sense benefits of creating a protected marine swimway in the vast wild ocean areas between the Cocos Island and the Galapagos Islands: better protection of endangered sea turtles, sharks, and whales, reduction in illegal fishing activities, conservation of fish stocks, and improved international cooperation.

But recently a team of government and university scientists has attached a dollar value to the natural benefits provided by the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, the region in which our proposed swimway lies. Some of these benefits include:

  • The capture and storage of carbon – $12 billion value
  • Commercial fishing – $2.7 billion value per year
  • Sport fishing – $1.6 billion value per year

This recent information bolsters the case for the Galapagos-Cocos Swimway, not only for its clear environmental benefits but now also for its economic benefits.


Are you a scuba diver? Want to help collect critical data to strengthen the international call for the swimway? Then join us on the trip of a lifetime>>>


The Galapagos-Cocos Swimway is an area of ocean rich in biodiversity, measuring approximately 120,000 sq. km, that follows the Cocos Ridge – an underwater mountain range that links the Galapagos and Cocos Marine Reserves. Recent studies have demonstrated that sharks and turtles use the swimway to migrate between the marine reserves, putting them at grave risk to industrial fishing.

Turtle Island Restoration Network and our partners are proposing a bilateral initiative to protect the Cocos-Galapagos Ridge Swimway between Ecuador and Costa Rica.

View a full-color brochure on the Galapagos-Cocos Swimway