Costa Rica Sport-fishing Community Rejects Marine Reserve

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: San Jose, Costa Rica December 5, 2017

Eight sport-fishing associations and two fishing clubs represented by FECOP, the sport-fishing advocacy group in Costa Rica, voted unanimously not to support the Alvaro Ulgalde Marine Reserve even though its promoters claim sport-fishing will be allowed in the proposed law sent to the Costa Rican Congress. FECOP has petitioned the government not to pass Bill # 20.333 creating the nearly 2,390 square mile reserve.

“We (FECOP) are very much in favor of marine conservation and management of marine resources but we like it done correctly,” exclaimed Carlos Cavero President of FECOP. The group stated several reasons why it can not support the bill.

There was no complete technical study done consulting with Costa Ricans who would be affected, as required the law.

The área is larger than all other marine protected áreas and encompasses áreas already under protection. Proper analysis to make that change have not been completed.

There is no management plan or budget for proper control for an área that size effectively, which would make it only a “paper reserve.” Proponents are urging passage of the law with the management plan developed afterwards.

The new law would change control of the área to another government agency, one that has not been so favorable to sport-fishing interests in the past. Unfavorable changes could be adopted once the proposal becomes law.

The proponents of this bill have used the FECOP name without authorization, making it appear that FECOP supported the bill and would be involved with management of the reserve. The erroneous affiliation continued even after FECOP requested it to stop.

There are already procedures in place to create management areas. In 2015, 35 activities with 190 participants had workshops to create a Marine Area of Responsible Fishing. FECOP supports this procedure which offers protection without changing control to another government agency. There is no need to create a new law.

Stopped the exportation of sailfish from the country in 2009

Sponsored the Tuna Decree which protected 120,000 square miles of territorial waters from tuna purse seiners in 2014

Backed by scientific data, FECOP lobbied the government to reduce purse seine licenses from 43 to 13 in 2017, saving 25 metric ton of marlin that would have been bycatch as well as other pelagic species and marine mammals.

For more information, contact info@fecop.org or visit www.fishcostarica.org