Nilay Barde
Galápagos Penguin
Summary
The goal of my project is to prevent the Galápagos penguins from going extinct and to
increase their population size. These goals will be accomplished by engineering a way to allow
fishermen to continue fishing near the Galápagos islands without harming the Galápagos penguins.
The most important categories of this project are an increase in population, limited negative effects,
maximum data collecting, increased independence of animal, and limited human interference. The
fishing net will allow animals such as the Galápagos penguins to escape the net they are caught in
the net. When fishermen go out on boats to catch animals, penguins are not their intended catch.
The Antarctic Treaty signed by twelve nations in 1959, and reauthorized in 1991 made it illegal to
harm or interfere with any species of penguin (ATS - The Antarctic Treaty). This project will be
useful for not only this animal but for many animals. As the fishing net becomes more common,
it will increase the population of these penguins. The government will want to encourage fishermen
that try to save endangered species with some sort of revenue. This is similar to the government
giving a reward to those who drive electric cars. If fishermen were to use this type of fishing net,
then they will be able to increase their own revenue.
The average casting net costs around thirty dollars and to manufacture the technology to
build a part that would be able to loosen and tighten the rope will cost around twenty dollars. So
one of these nets would cost about seventy to eighty dollars (Bass Pro Shop) and could be bought
at any normal fishing shop. In order to mass produce this fishing net, it will cost around ten
thousand dollars of startup capital is required. Currently, there is a team of scientists from the
University of Washington that is building artificial nests for the penguins to use when breeding (F.
Villava, 2015). A casting net like this is a good way to safely increase the Galápagos penguin
population, but it requires the penguins to rely heavily on humans; the species will not be selfreliant which will cause problems for the species in the future.
Background Information
Galápagos penguins are a species of penguin that undergo severe population fluctuations
(Galapagos Penguin, Penguin World). Although, these penguins are threatened by a declining food
source, they are very unique; they breed near the equator (Galapagos Penguin, Penguin World).
This species of penguin can only be found on the Galápagos islands, which also plays a part in
their population problem. However, humans also are one of the reason for their population decline.
Many of these penguins drown because they get caught in fishing nets. For these penguins their
main source of food are small fish, which is the reason why they get caught in fishing nets very
often (Spheniscus mendiculus, IUCN Red List).
Risk and Roadblocks
Although this proposal has a roadblock that will need to be conquered over the course of
the distribution phase, there will be a minimal risk to the penguins themselves. The fishing net will
not interfere in the everyday life of the Galápagos penguins. The fishing net will simply free the
penguins if they happen to get stuck. This will have a major impact on the population of these
penguins. One roadblock that will have to be conquered when making this project will be to find
a way to have the nets become popular very fast. If the net is not used by many fishermen, it will
not have much of an effect on the population. As the net becomes more and more popular, it will
lead to an increase in the population of the penguins.
Design
The design of my project is to engineer a fishing net that can expand and contract on
command. The fishing net will have a camera to allow the fishermen to see what is inside the net.
Fishermen will be able to release any unwanted large animals caught in their nets at any given
time. A fishing net that prevents the unnecessary killing of these penguins will allow the
population to increase and continue to increase as time goes on without the interference of
humans in their ecosystem.
Timeline
The manufacturing of this product will be the first step in the process of creating a
successful way to prevent the killing of Galápagos penguins. A special type of container needs to
be made to store the extra rope until it is triggered to become loose. Once the container is made it
can be attached to the special casting net and be ready for sales. In the five to ten years after the
casting nets begin to sell, there will be a steady increase in the population of the Galápagos
penguins.
Organization and Policies
I would like to team up with Bass Pro Shops as they are a major company in the fishing
industry. Bass Pro Shops will also provide the funding for this product. This will be a benefit to
Bass Pro Shops because it will give them a positive name. They will show that they care about
animals and they do not want unnecessary killing of endangered animals. Every fisherman who
uses this casting net will receive some sort of revenue for supporting the endangered animals.
These fishing nets will be bought at common fishing stores at a reasonably low price. This will
also encourage fishermen to want to use this net.
These nets can be manufactured by any common fishing supplies company. The goal of
my project is to increase the population of the Galápagos penguins at a steady rate without having
too much human interference. Human interference can cause the animal to become very reliant on
humans and this can have a very negative effect on the population. These fishing nets will be
bought at common fishing stores at a reasonably low price. An eco-friendlier option will also
encourage fishermen to want to use this net. These nets can be manufactured by any common
fishing supply company.
Conclusion
I would like to ask Bass Pro Shops to team up with me to build this product and help
prevent the Galápagos penguins from going extinct by increasing their population size. Bass Pro
Shops will be able to improve their brand and become a much more global company while also
saving the planet. Bass Pro Shops will need to invest money into this product and build a team to
manufacture it. Bass Pro Shops will be able to make profit by selling this product. The design of
this product is very simple and can easily be made. There will be minimal complications with the
product which will allow for the product to quickly hit the market. Bass Pro Shops will be able to
make a massive difference in the world of animals while also improving their own company.
References
ATS - The Antarctic Treaty. (n.d.). Retrieved October 05, 2016, from
http://www.ats.aq/e/ats.htm
BirdLife International. 2012. Spheniscus mendiculus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2012:e.T22697825A40192584. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20121.RLTS.T2269
7825A40192584.en. Downloaded on 19 September 2016.
Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear. (n.d.). Retrieved
September 20, 2016, from http://www.basspro.com/
Freddy Villalva, manager of the Santa Cruz Tortoise Center. Fourteen years... More. (n.d.).
Galapagos Conservancy Blog. Retrieved September 20, 2016, from
http://www.galapagos.org/conservation/conservation/projectareas/ecosystemrestoration/increasing-the-galapagos-penguin-population/
Galápagos Penguin. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2016, from
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/galapagos-penguin