The Galapagos Islands harbor one of the most ecologically significant marine ecosystems on the planet. Spanning an area of 198,000 square kilometers, the Galápagos Marine Reserve is one of the largest and most biologically diverse marine protected areas in the world.

Despite extensive marine protection efforts made by the Galapagos National Park Service, the islands remain one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impacts of the marine plastics crisis. More than 95% of plastic pollution reaching the Galápagos originates from outside the islands, transported by powerful ocean currents and fishing activity.