About ECUADOR: Ecuador is one of the so-called “Andean Countries”. The great Andes mountain system forms a natural wall separating the narrow western coastal region from the rest of the South American continent. This territory and its resources are shared by five countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The “Andean Trade Preference Act” (ATPA) is one of the most significant U.S. laws that affect the tuna industry in Ecuador. The purpose of the ATPA was to alleviate poverty by creating jobs and economic opportunities for the people of Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. The Andean Trade Act allows for the extension of NAFTA rates of duty for processed tuna imports from Andean countries including Ecuador. It also provides sustainable alternatives to drug-crop production and develop and/or strengthen legitimate businesses. The four governments estimate that the program has generated almost 2 million jobs for their citizens. The original ATPA law expired on February 27, 2008. The current form in the U.S. Senate is now called the “Andean Trade Preference Act of 2008”. Ecuador is bordered by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. Ecuador has an area of 256,371 (98,985 mi²). The country also includes the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific which is about 965 kilometers (600 miles) west of the mainland. Galapagos is known for its great biodiversity, species unique to its archipelago, and the birthplace of Darwin’s “theory of evolution”. The Galapagos Islands was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. In 1985, Galapgos was declared a “Biosphere Reserve” and in 1986, the surrounding 70,000 square kms (43,496 sq. miles) of oceans declared a “Marine Reserve” which gives it legal protection against fishing.