Coast Guard participates in multinational exercise near Galapagos Islands

The U.S. Coast Guard joined coast guards and navies from 13 nations, between June 24 and July 9, in an exercise hosted by Ecuador to align international mission priorities seeking to ensure the defense, security, multinational cooperation and governance of the maritime domain of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The Eleventh Coast Guard District employed the Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Bottoms, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter, and subject matter experts to engage in professional exchanges with international partners completing a variety of exercises centered around countering illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing operations.