#24 Jorge Ramírez: Participatory Ocean Science on Galapagos

#24 Jorge Ramírez: Participatory Ocean Science on Galapagos

From Ocean Collaborations by Ocean Collaborations from Jan Maisenbacher

March 5, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

Jorge Ramírez discusses participatory ocean science and the importance of community involvement in sustainable fisheries in the Galapagos Islands.

Our 2nd episode from South America is out! AND: it is a milestone jewel in ocean collaboration… This episode became possible thanks to the media partnership of Podcast Ocean Collaborations at the One Ocean Science Congress in Nice in June 2025 organised from Ifremer & CNRS . From the heart of the Pacific Ocean, a brilliant beacon of hope is shining for all of us: Listen to the magical work of Jorge Ramírez, Co-Principal Investigator in Sustainable Fisheries at the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galapagos Islands . Jorge and his interdisciplinary team are proving that the key to saving our oceans isn’t just about understanding the fish - it’s about understanding the people. For decades, ocean science has often operated top-down. Scientists gather data, governments make rules, and local communities are expected to comply. But Jorge realized early on that this model is fundamentally flawed. “ The sea will still be the sea, the species will still be species, ” Jorge reminds us. “But who has the power to destroy, and also to restore, is the humans.” 🌍The results are nothing short of miraculous. Take the sea cucumber - a highly valuable resource that has been overexploited globally…

People in this episode

Host: Jan Maisenbacher

Guest: Jorge Ramírez

Topics covered

  • ocean science
  • sustainable fisheries
  • community engagement
  • Galapagos
  • participatory science
  • environmental conservation

Keywords

  • ocean collaboration
  • sustainable fisheries
  • Galapagos
  • community engagement
  • One Ocean Science Congress
  • Jorge Ramírez
  • environmental science

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Charles Darwin Foundation, Ifremer, CNRS

Places: Galapagos Islands, Pacific Ocean

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