The Wailers and PRETOMA come together to promote shark conservation in Costa Rica

The legendary Jamaican band The Wailers and PRETOMA are organizing a concert to protect sharks of the destruction that they are suffering from the deplorable and cruel shark finning practice and overfishing. The Wailers concert is the launching event of PRETOMA’s campaign to urge Costa Rican authorities to take necessary actions to comply with the law and stop the landing of shark fins by foreign fleets at private docks in Puntarenas.

Day: October 29, 2010Time: 8 pm

Place: Club la Azotea (200 metros sur BCR Uruca, San José)

PRETOMA will be handing out information about the shark finning problem and the need to conserve sharks. Campaign materials will also be sold during the event: cool shark finning t-shirts, 2011 sea turtle and Cocos Island shark calendar, hats, postcards…

Don’t miss it! Come and dance reggae for the sharks!

Other bands to be playing include: Talawa, Bet-Shalom, Dogandul

Costa Rican fishermen at the protest

Upset and tired of the negative impact of foreign fleets upon the fishery economy of Puntarenas, more than 100 fishermen, called by the Union of Pacific Fishermen, protested in front of the Costa Rican Fisheries Institute headquarters in demand of fishery policies that benefit the national fishery sector.  Among the fishermen’s demands, are the closure of private docks to foreign fleets and the halting of the massive importation of “pangaso” fish from Vietnam.  Members of Pretoma participated in the protest as observers, invited by the fishermen

The use of private docks by foreign fleets has been pointed out as one of the main precursors of shark overfishing and shark finning in Costa Rica for years, and the massive importation of pangaso represents a threat to the activity of small scale artisanal fishermen.

“What we are witnessing, is the result of state policies that are purposely designed to favor the interests of foreign fleets, even though they have to violate and ignore laws to do so”, said Randall Arauz, President of the Costa Rican NGO Pretoma.  “This seriously handicaps local fishermen who do respect laws and regulations, and it affects the image of our country, as it in fact promotes activities that act against the public interest, such as environment (shark finning), migration (slave trade) and national security (drug trafficking)”, denounced Arauz.

Local Fishermen with Randall Arauz

At 3:00 pm the fishermen met with the President of Incopesca, where they announced that if their demands were not met, they would turn to other measures that could affect other industries, such as the tourism cruises.

“It is really a shame that the fishermen have to turn to such measures only to call for the law to be abided by in Costa Rica”, said Miguel Gómez, campaigns coordinator of Pretoma.  “The Constitutional Court, the Comptrollership, the Legislative Assembly and the Defender of the Inhabitants have all called for the operation of these docks to be closed immediately, but Incopesca refuses to do so”.

Caletas Wetland Under Threat - Vote Grey Globe

(September 13, 2010 – San José, Costa Rica.  The Costa Rican organization PRETOMA, announces that it has formally nominated the Caletas wetland for a Grey Globe Award for wetland conservation, granted by the World Wetland Network . 

 The International Wetlan Globes awards scheme recognises best practice and weltand restoration (Blue Globe), and highlights wetlands in danger (Grey Globe).  The winner will be chosen by NGOs from all over the world that register in the program.

“This is a great opportunity to call the attention of our authorities on the disastrous situation of the Caletas wetland, which has been drained, burnt, farmed, and sprayed, with total impunity by the rice farmers for years”, denounced Randall Arauz, President of Pretoma. “We urge all our NGO friends out there to help us save the Caletas Beach Wetland”, stated an optimist Arauz.  

For a brief history of the Caletas wetland, and the chain of abuses it has suffered by the rice farmers of the area, CLICK HERE.  

To just go ahead and VOTE.

For more information on the Grey Globe Award, and how your NGO can vote in this important process, CLICK HERE.

http://www.worldwetnet.org/awards/how-to-vote/

(San José, Costa Rica-August 5, 2010).  Aerial applications of a powerful poison inside the Caletas-Arío National Wildlife Refuge, Guanacaste on July 20th and 31st by the farming company Agropecuario Caletas S.A. have lead to widespread fish kills.  The chemical applications also threaten one of Costa Rica’s most productive turtle nesting beaches where 4 species, including the critically endangered leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), lay their eggs and pose serious health risks to sea turtle volunteers living in the refuge. 

Ana's video of the poison application and fish kills

The poison application on July 20 began at around 7:00 am, and lasted for about an hour and a half.  During this time a small airplane, or “crop duster”, made repeated trips above the refuge’s wetland and adjacent agricultural fields, releasing a white cloud of chemicals. 

The poison was then picked up by the morning offshore breeze and blown into Pretoma’s volunteer camp and onto the beach.  “There was a strong poison smell and most of the volunteers ran to get t-shirts to cover their noses and mouths” said Costa Rican Ana Ventura Pozuelo, the project’s coordinator.  The next morning the camp’s volunteers awoke to find the beach at the mouth of the Rio Bongo littered with dying fish (some up to a meter long), crabs, and shrimp.  Ana and the rest of the volunteers, the majority of whom are biologists, immediately took pictures and water and tissue samples of the animals.  They also noted how vultures and crocodiles were feasting on the carrion, thus ingesting the poison themselves.

Ana and her team then called the Costa Rican Environmental Ministry (MINAET) and told officials about the poisoning.  MINAET employees arrived a few days later to investigate but promptly told the volunteers that turtle volunteers were not accredited in Costa Rica to take biological samples.  Officials also warned the team of sea turtle biologists that another spraying was scheduled and that the volunteers would be notified of the exact date and time. 

Concerned about the health risks of another poison application, volunteers continually called Minaet but received no more information before the second application on the morning of the 31st.  “We were worried about the chemicals because we didn’t know what it was, only that it was probably harmful to humans because of the way it killed other animals in only a day,” said a concerned and disappointed Ana.  “We called MINAET many times to obtain information on the next spraying, but never got an answer.” 
 
Ana was able to take some video of the second spraying and in her shots one can see the poison application and the lingering white cloud.  Agropecuario Caletas’ systematic destruction of the Caletas-Arío Refuge has been happening for 4 years.  The company’s first strides we to construct barbwire fences inside the refuge to block public access.  The company then brought in backhoes and tractors and began plowing, draining, and burning the wetland and surrounding brush to make way for planting fields.  To date, its efforts have successfully damaged the wetland to a point where very little water is left to support migrating populations of birds and other animals.  Pictures from August 2008 show tractors driving through the water and sucking the life out of the habitat.  Ana’s pictures and video from last month reveal no water.

The refuge and wetland in August, 2008 (picture: Ingrid Rojas)

In response to the environmental atrocities, Pretoma filed sute against Agropecuaria Caletas S.A at the Environmental Tribune of the MINAET.  In 2009 the Tribune not only ordered the company to pay US$24,000 in environmental damages, but also ordered the damages to be repaired.  But Agropecuario Caletas scoffed at this slap-on-the-wrist, never paid the fine, and has since gone about with its plan to destroy the refuge and harass Pretoma volunteers, spraying them with poison if necessary.

Pretoma sea turtle conservation volunteers are a mix of Costa Ricans and international travelers who support the economy of small coastal towns and villages by paying money to protect the region’s beaches.  Now, they are being sprayed by poisons by a company that turns up its nose to court rulings and environmental laws.  Some of these volunteers have left the project because of the health risks and will take home the message that sea turtle volunteering poses serious health risks in Costa Rica.  As for Ana, she was asked by her family to return early to San José.

“This is the message that Costa Rican’s want to send potential tourists and biologists who are thinking about visiting this country,” asked a disappointed Randall Arauz, President of Pretoma.  “There are laws that protect wetlands and public health in Costa Rica, but Agropecuaria Caletas S.A. disregards them all, and no official entity seems to be able to stop them”.
 
Curious Note:  Agropecuaria Caletas S.A. is owned by Sylvestre Feichtinger, a US-Austrian Citizen, who also happens to own and operate the “eco lodge” Casa Caletas located nearby the wetlands of the Caletas-Arío Wildlife Refuge.  Ironically, he sells the natural surroundings as the main attraction.

For more information:

Pretoma
Tel (506) 2241 5227
Fax (506) 2236 6017
email: andy@pretoma.org

According to freed slaves from a Taiwanese Shark finning Vessel

Pretoma invites you to read the press article published in this week edition of The Tico Times, Freed Asian Sailors Talk

Randall Arauz, President and founder of Pretoma (Programa Restauracion de Tortugas Marinas) was announced as a 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize winner today in San Francisco, California.  The award recognizes his tireless work to draw international attention to the inhumane and environmentally catastrophic shark finning industry, and his unrelenting campaign to halt the practice in Costa Rica.

“Shark finning is not only cruel; it is irresponsible and unsustainable fishing at its highest degree” said Arauz during the filming of the award video detailing his work. “In spite of this, it has been close to impossible to attain any international binding management and conservation measures to curtail this practice.”

Announced every April to coincide with Earth Day, the Goldman Environmental Prize honors grassroots environmental heroes from the six inhabited continental regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The Prize recognizes individuals for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment, often at great personal risk.

Watch Randall Arauz’s Goldman Award video detailing his work in Costa Rica.

Photo: Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) are very close to being listed under Appendix II of CITES during the Conference of the Parties (CoP 15), held in Doha, Qatar.  Even though the proposal submitted by the United States and Palau Islands to regulate the international commerce of hammerhead shark products enjoyed the support of the majority of the Parties (75 in favor, 45 against, 14 abstentions), it was not enough to reach the mandatory 2/3 majority.

Many Latin American countries supported the proposal, such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Honduras, as well as other countries from the rest of the world, such as the European Union, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Australia, among others.  Unfortunately, an opposing minority, led by China and Japan, the former being the main global shark fin consuming nation and the later the greatest opponent to the protection of any species under this convention, successfully blocked the proposal.  Among the opposing parties in Latin America outstand Guatemala and Venezuela, while Mexico abstained.  Other opposing countries include Indonesia, Senegal, and Singapur.

Fortunately, there may still be hope for the hammerhead shark.  The possibility exists that the vote may be opened again during the Plenary Session of the Convention during the morning of Thursday, March 25.  Since it was such a close vote, a change of position of only a few countries could make the difference.  Thus, we call on the countries that voted against the proposal, like Guatemala, or Mexico that abstained, to reconsider their position and vote “YES”, so that hammerhead sharks may receive the international protection they deserve.

(March 8, 2010 – San José, Costa Rica).

The Comptrollership Court of Costa Rica criticized the poor performance of the Ministry of Environment (MINAET), regarding the process to consolidate Las Baulas National Park, through a report issue last February 26 (DFOE-PGAA-IF-3-2010).  For the Comptrollership, this matter is of great importance, due to the importance of this National Park, created to protect the most important remaining nesting site for leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Eastern Pacific.

The report points out strong weaknesses in the geographic delimitation of the Park’s boundaries, as well as inconsistencies in the expropriation process of the lands, specifically the appraisal, where in a brief period of 11 months, prices were raised up to 6,037%.  It also criticizes the fact that MINAET didn’t’ even react to this variation in prices, even though the State must assume the cost.  The Comptrollership warns that the project to reduce the Park’s limits will not solve the problem nor the threats to the leatherbacks, and would translate into irreversible environmental damage.

The Minister of Environment, Jorge Rodríguez, dismissed the criticism, and announce that he already filed a request to revoke the orders of the report.

“Although the position of the Minister of Environment is very disappointing, we aren’t surprised”, said Randall Arauz, of Pretoma, a Costa Rican NGO that defends the process to consolidate Las Baulas National Park.  “In spite of the orders of the Constitutional Court, the General Attorney and now the Comptrollership, as well as the opinion of the Defender of the Inhabitants, tens of thousands of Costa Rican, and the main national and international conservation NGOs, the heads of the Presidency and the MINAET insist in favoring the private interest and promoting the urban development of Las Baulas National Park.

(March 18, 2010 – San José, Costa Rica)

Las March 4, the Ministry of Environment of Costa Rica announced during a press conference that the country would support a proposal to list hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).  The proposal, which would allow for controls over the international trade of products from this species, including its fins, will be voted during the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (CoP15), to be celebrated in Doha, Qatar, from March 13-25 of the current year.

“I would like to congratulate the authorities of the MINAET and of Foreign Affairs, for the leadership our country has shown in different international forums in favor of the protection and management of sharks”, said Randall Arauz, President of Pretoma.  Arauz used the event to personally present the Minister of Environment Jorge Rodríguez, with a compilation of more than 2000 signatures of Costa Rican citizens supporting the protection of hammerhead sharks in CITES, as a result of the campaign “2000 Ticos for the Hammerhead Shark”.

“It is very encouraging to see the degree of commitment of the Costa Rican people with the global protection of shark”, said Minister Rodríguez, when he received the document.  “These signatures will travel to Qatar, and I will request that they be mentioned during the official interventions of Costa Rica on the matter”, affirmed the Minister.

MINAET also confirmed that Costa Rica will also support the oceanic white tip (Carcharhinus longimanus) proposal, common in region, as well as the porbeagle (Lamna nasus), the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), and the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) proposals, which don’t occur in the region, but the country considers it is important to regulate their international commerce.

Last Wednesday February 17, over 100 activists sang “Happy Birthday” to the Judges of Costa Rica’s Supreme Court of Justice, to celebrate the 3rd year of waiting for a resolution that could finally put an end to shark finning in Costa Rica.

Since January of 2006, the Constitutional Court of the Supreme Court of Justice, ruled in favor of a Constitutional Lawsuit filed by Pretoma (04-001511-0007-CO), in which the use of public infrastructure is ordered for the landing of fishery products by the foreign shark finning fleet. In February of 2007, a year later, Pretoma filed a contempt suit against the Ministry of Public Transportations, Incopesca, Customs, and Ministry of Environment, because the authorities had ignored the orders of the Constitutional Court. Three years later, the Costa Rican people are still waiting for a resolution, while the foreign fleet continues to carelessly land sharks and fins in the privacy of their docks.

“With this event, the citizens want to remind the Judges that we are still waiting for a resolution on our law suit, because as long as the private docks in Puntarenas continue breaking the law, there will be shark finning in Costa Rica”, warned Randall Arauz, President of Pretoma. “Three years waiting for a resolution is just too much, and sharks can no longer take the indiscriminate fishing pressure they are under, with the blessing of our authorities”, complained Arauz.

As of now, the Costa Rican Congress (Expediente 18.890), the Comptrollership (DFOE-PGA-86/2006) and the Defender of the Inhabitants (Boletin 2, Dic 2006), have seconded the order of the Supreme Court of Justice, but the defendants continue to defend the interests of the foreign owners of the private docks in Puntarenas. In an effort to legitimize their actions, the defendants have issued resolutions that have been shot down over and over again by the Courts. Now, the defendants rely on the “Rules to authorize the landing of fishery products by national and foreign vessels (A.J.D.I.P /042-2009), which allows the use of private docks by foreign fleets if the foreign owners allow access to public functionaries. However, under this scenario, it is impossible to defend the public interest, because it is impossible to abide by public administration laws as private property is protected by the Constitution. Pretoma filed yet another constitutional lawsuit against the new rules, and is waiting for a resolution.