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Once again, Incopesca shows its commitment to protect the interests of foreign shark finning fleets, at any cost.  According to statements by Luis Dobles, President of Incopesca, last

September 4th in this newspaper (pg 16), the Belize flagged Tawianese vessel Wai Jai Men 89, admitted that about 5% to 10% of its cargo of 20,000 kilos of shark meat did not have the carcasses, which is about 1000 to 2000 kilos of fins, because the sharks had been used for bait or had been eaten by the crew.  What did Incopesca do about it?  Allow the landing of the legal products, so as to not affect the interests of this shark finning businessman, but not allow the landing of separated fins, illegal under Costa Rican law.  Now, most certainly, these fins will be landed in Nicaragua, where they will be imported back into Costa Rica by land, authorized by Incopesca under Technical Note 68, Authorization for the Importation, Exportation, and Traffic of Sharks and Shark Fins.  Why isn’t this foreign vessel punished for shark finning?  ¿Friends too powerful?

“The Sustainable Coastal Development Project,” implemented in the district of Bejuco, Guanacaste by the Costa Rican environmental non-profit PRETOMA, has been nominated as a finalist for the 2011 Savannah Ocean Exchange’s $100,000 Gulfstream Navigator Award.  Each year the Savannah Ocean Exchange (September 7-8, 2011 in Savannah, Georgia) brings together international leaders to learn about the top world-class “Solutions Inspiring Action.”   The Exchange’s 2011 theme is “Shaping the Future of Our Coasts” and will highlight fourteen ideas from around the world that offer practical solutions to development problems facing our coasts.

PRETOMA’s solution is a sustainable coastal development plan that creates sustainable production methods and responsible consumption strategies between artisanal fishers and hotel operators.  The non-profit, along with the Association of Coyote Fishers (ASPECOY) and the Association of Bejuco Fishers (ASOBEJUCO), is identifying sustainable snapper fishing techniques and creating locally based markets that facilitate snapper sales between fisher folk and area hotels. 

ASPECOY fisher folk

“The project is creating coastal resource protection initiatives made possible through socioeconomic development,” said Andy Bystrom, the project’s designer and PRETOMA consultant.  “Because of this, we hope that increased fisher profits garnered through the direct sale of sustainable snappers to local hotels will be the incentive needed for these associations to conserve fisheries resource for future generations to enjoy,” continued Bystrom who will be speaking at the Exchange’s event in Savannah.

Another key project ingredient is marine protected area (MPA) development to conserve coastal fish stocks, an important component in the socioeconomic development of thousands of artisanal fishers in Costa Rica.  For this reason PRETOMA, along with ASPECOY and ASOBEJUCO members, is lobbying for more coastal MPA development. 

The project team has applied for a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification and in May underwent an MSC pre assessment by an accredited third party certifier.  If successful, the project will be the first MSC certified fishery in Central America.  PRETOMA also plans to replicate the project’s methodology to other fishing and tourism communities in Costa Rica and Central America.

The project is a winner of the 2010 National Geographic and Ashoka Changemakers Geotourism Challenge.  PRETOMA would like to thank the project’s gracious sponsors: Conservation International, WSPA, Whitley Fund for Nature, Sea Turtle Restoration Project, Resources Legacy Fund, BBC Wildlife Fund.

(watch project question and answer video)

For more information:

Andy Bystrom
andy@pretoma.org

Our coasts are on the edge.  With a global race being run to exploit coastal resources, we push these areas of economic, environmental, and social importance closer to the tipping point.  Assuming these pressures will not subside in the foreseeable future, we must begin to identify and implement sustainable development strategies for the planet’s coastal areas if we’re to continue to enjoy the treasures they bring to society.  One small piece of the puzzle is the creation of sustainable production methods and responsible consumption strategies.  In Costa Rica, fishers are using sustainable techniques to catch snappers.  They then sell these snappers to local hotels whose guests are encouraged to participate in the purchase and consumption of a locally produced product.  The project is being implemented here and has yielded sustainable fishing strategies and a responsible tourism industry that benefit one another in environmental protection efforts and the socioeconomic development of local residents.  When replicated, the project will contribute to the sustainable development of entire coastlines.

Artisanal spotted snapper fishers using bottom longlines (pic: Erick Lopez)

The project is facilitating participatory management of theSouthwesternNicoyaPeninsula’s coastal resources among artisanal snapper fishers and government officials through the identification of responsible fishing techniques that preserve local snapper stocks and the development of marine protected areas that allow for these techniques while prohibiting other destructive ones.

The environmentally conscious visitor’s desire for sustainable seafood options and willingness to contribute to local development projects is then served through the direct sale of responsibly caught seafood between fishers and tourism establishments.  Local markets between fishers and tourism operators also eliminate lengthy chains of custody that result in meager earnings for primary producers (fisher folk).  Higher fisher earnings will act as incentives for locals to continue to apply their responsible fishing techniques, thus insuring will be ample resources for future generations of fisher folk to extract.

The project is being evaluated for a Marine Stewardship Council sustainability certification, and in February, 2011 project designer Andy Bystrom  lead a campaign that won National Geographic’s and Ashoka Changemakers’ Geotourism Challenge 2010: Places on the Edge – Saving Coastal and Freshwater Destinations.  The project has also been named a finalist for the Savannah Ocean Exchange’s 2011 Navigator Award where Bystrom will present PRETOMA’s work during the September 7-9 event in Savannah, Georgia.

Hotel Punta Islita, a local 5 star resort interested in purchasing seafood directly from local fishers (pic: hotelpuntaislita.com)

Summary of project’s key points:

Project involves 2 artisanal fishing associations along Costa Rica’s Northern Pacific Coast

• Both associations use a technique known as demersal bottom long lines to target spotted snapper (Lutjanus Guttatus)
• Researchers are collecting date and finding that bottom long lines are a responsible way to fish because they do not result in the over exploitation of the snapper population
• The Ministry of the Environmental (MINAET) has established 2 marine protected areas in the study’s area.  These allow the use of bottom long lines but do not allow other unsustainable fishing techniques like shrimp trawls and gillnets
• The artisanal snapper fishers are beginning to market their “sustainable snappers” to local tourist hotels and restaurants
• Tourists can help in the sustainable development of coastal communities by buying quality, locally caught, sustainable seafood.  The extra $ they pay goes directly to the fishers and gives them an economic incentive to continue to fish responsibly
• The project is being evaluated for an international Marine Stewardship Certification (currently there are no internationally certified fisheries inCosta Rica
• Project will be replicated to benefit other coastal areas where the fishing industry and the tourism industry interact

Watch the project’s question and answer video:

Pretoma’s sustainable fishing project

(August 4, 2011 – San José, Costa Rica)

On august 1^st the Constitutional Court resolved PRETOMA’s law suit against INCOPESCA for its evasiveness in explaining its procedures that allow the partial landing of sharks by the foreign fishing fleet, by ordering the fisheries institute to give PRETOMA an explanation within 3 days (click to see  Resolution).  

According to observations made by PRETOMA members during the landing procedures of a foreign vessel at the public dock in Puntarenas, sharks are immediately transported to a private dock where they are weighed and the fins separated.  PRETOMA sees the situation as irregular because the Constitutional Court has been emphatic in maintaining that the protection of the public interest can only be upheld through the use  of public infrastructure, and that the weighing of imported products is very relevant to public interest, along with the shark fin separation process.

PRETOMA solicited an explanation of the “partial landing” at the public dock from INCOPESCA’s Executive President Luis Dobles on June 24, but he ignored the request.  The solicitation also asked for a description of the rotation process that’s used to assign inspectors to supervise foreign vessel landings.

“It’s a disgrace how we have to constantly ask the Constitutional Court to uphold our basic rights”, said an irritated Randall Arauz, PRETOMA’s President.  “But we’ll keep filing suit if we have to, because right now the institutional policy is: don’t answer any letters from PRETOMA,” complained Arauz.

(August 4, 2011 – San José, Costa Rica)

This past July 14^th PRETOMA received word from the President’s Office that the organization’s formal request to ban shark fin imports to Costa Rica, was assigned to the Minister of Economy, Industry, and Commerce, Ms. Mayi Antillón, for her consideration (click to read letter).

“We have an appointment with Ms. Antillón on August 11^th”, said Randall Arauz, PRETOMA’s President.  “This government has undertaken important actions for marine conservation, and we’re confident that it will soon ban shark fin imports, the latest trick devised by the Puntarenas based foreign fishing fleet in order to continue with the extinction of these important marine species”, assured Arauz.

Read the Opinion of Randall Arauz in La Nación, August 1^st, 2010.  “Shark finning at large in Costa Rica”.

(July 20, 2011 – San José, Costa Rica)

Fabio Buitrago, Nicaraguan activist and shark protector

According to reports published in the Nicaraguan press (La Prensa, Monday July 18, page 4a), an unidentified foreign vessel landed between 4 and 8 tons of shark fins in Puerto Sandino, which were then exported to Costa Rica.  The denouncement was made by Nicaraguan biologist Fabio Buitrago who told the press that according to Nicaragua Fisheries authorities there is no measure in place that impedes shark exploitation, even though article 75 of the country’s Fisheries Law states that, “the capture of sharks for the single use of their fins is prohibited”.

Municipal authorities in San Juan del Sur have denied permission to future boats soliciting permission to land shark fins, after it was publicly exposed on April 30^th that the Belize- flagged Taiwanese-owned Hung Chi Fu 68 landed an unknown amount of fins that were then exported to Costa Rica.  For this very reason, the latest landing of shark fins occurred in Puerto Sandino.  According to the Nicaraguan press, the government is proposing changes to the Fisheries Law that would weaken existing shark finning legislation facilitating increased landings of shark fins by foreign flagged vessels.

“Costa Rica has to immediately ban the importation of shark fins in order to stop this unscrupulous industry”, said Randall Arauz of the Costa Rican organization Pretoma.  “This Taiwan foreign fleet that uses all sorts of flags to circumvent regulations, is here for only one thing: TO FIN SHARKS, it’s about time that the countries in the region start taking serious measures against these modern day pirates”, said Arauz.

(July 12, 2011 – San José, Costa Rica)

June 5, 2011. Environment Fair, Paseo Colón, San José, Costa Rica. More tan 800 folks signed the petition for President Chinchilla to ban the importation of shark fins

A letter signed by 4039 Costa Rican citizens, was delivered today to the country’s President Laura Chinchilla, urging her to sign an Executive Decree banning shark fin imports.  The letter was also signed by 324 citizens of 39 countries, from Taiwan to the United Kingdon, concerned over shark finning and the new loophole that the foreign fishing fleet now uses to circumvent Costa Rican controls and laws.
As of last December 1st, Costa Rica has mandated that foreign fishing vessels must land their products at public docks in accordance with articles 211 and 212 of the General Customs Regulations Law and the Constitutional Court mandate of January 2006 (Res. 1109-2006).  The recent sentence against Tsa Yu Jen, the Taiwanese Captain of the Belize flagged vessel Hung Chi Fu 12 for landing 2,000 Kg of sharks without fins at the public of Puntarenas exposed the ease with which the foreign fleet has, for years, sidestepped the law and landed shark fins in Puntarenas.
Regrettably, shark finners have now devised yet another trick to dodge national legislation, one that involves landing the shark fins in Nicaragua where they are then loaded into Costa Rican trucks and imported (via land) into Costa Rica.  The fishing vessel then arrives in Costa Rica several days later for supplies and to land the rest of its fisheries products.
“This is a mockery of Costa Rica’s internationally acclaimed shark finning controls, and which the country so proudly promotes”, said Randall Arauz of the Costa Rican organization PRETOMA, the group that coordinated the letter’s delivery.  “Furthermore, shark fin imports seriously compromise other marine conservation measures that this government has recently adopted, for example the private dock closure to foreign boats and the creation of the Marine Managed Area around Cocos Island”, added Arauz.
“Banning shark fin imports will strengthen Costa Ricas’s international image and will not, under any circumstances, affect the domestic fishing industry”, said Miguel Gomez from PRETOMA.  “We’re confident that President Laura Chinchilla will hear the cry of the Costa Rican people and the concerned citizens of the world, and immediately ban shark fin imports”, said an optimistic Gomez.

The Los Angeles primary school becomes the first educational center to adopt a Cocos Island satellite turtle
(June 16, 2011 – San José Costa Rica)

Randall Arauz, Pretoma’s President, presents Jesús González García, from the Los Ángeles primary school, a certificate of adoption

Yesterday, Pretoma officially launched its “Adopt a Satellite Sea Turtle” campaign to support its efforts to improve marine conservation politics through scientific research that involves tagging sea turtles and sharks with satellite transmitters in order to study their migratory routs and threats.  Pretoma decided to kick-off the campaign by recognizing the Los Angeles primary school’s accomplishment of raising $1,400.00 during organization’s 2010 initiative to fundraise through educational centers to support sea turtle nesting beach conservation projects.
The cost to adopt a satellite turtle is $1,200 with the donor retaining the right to personally name the turtle.  Every time the turtle surfaces, the transmitter sends, via satellite, its geographic position, water temperature, and depth the animal dove to.  The lifespan of the transmitter is between two months to a year.  All newly adopted turtles will be fitted with their transmitters during Pretoma’s next expedition to Cocos Island in September.

Thank you address from Randall Arauz, Pretoma’s President, to the Los Ángeles student body

“Now, students who have done so much to protect sea turtles on their nesting beaches can continue their involvement with these animals by tracking their movements around Cocos Island and learning about their daily activities and the threats they face”, said an enthusiastic Randall Arauz, Pretoma’s President.  “Not only do we need scientific data, but also a society that is more aware if we’re going to influence policy making that leads to effective marine conservation efforts”, asserted Arauz.

“We’re inviting every educational center and private company to participate”, said Alexia Garro, Pretoma’s campaigns consultant.  “We’ll go to your school or work place and give a detailed workshop on the science that’s going on out at Cocos Island with sea turtles along with ways you can help”, said Garro.

“The students decided to name this turtle Manuelita”, said a proud Fabián Álvarez, Los Angeles’ science teacher.  “The workshop had a big impact on them and they’re really motivated and interested to see where Manuelita goes and in participating in future conservation and marine resource management initiatives”, concluded Álvarez.

(June 2, 2011 – San José, Costa Rica)

The Costa Rican shrimp trawl fleet catches and drowns about 15,000 sea turtles per year.

Shrimp exports to the United States will continue embargoed, according to Public Notice 7490 issued by the State Department last May 27, pursuant to section 609 Law 101-162, which imposes embargoes on shrimp from nations whose fleets do not protect sea turtles from drowning in shrimp trawl nets.  In contrast, 12 countries passed the certification:  Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistán, Panamá, and Suriname.  Shrimp from Belize will have free access to the United States as it prohibited shrimp trawling in its waters as of December 31st, 2010.

Link: http://www.pretoma.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2011-13702_PI-DOS-turtle-shrimp-certification.pdf

Costa Rican shrimp has suffered 4 embargoes since 1999.  A shrimp embargo has been imposed on Costa Rica since May of 2009, over two years, and will continue for an indefinite time.

“The national shrimp trawl fleet has shown that they have no interest whatsoever in marine conservation nor sustainable fisheries,” denounced Randall Arauz, President of the Costa Rican organization Pretoma.  “They don’t only kill turtles, they also target snappers and groupers, threatening sustainable artisanal fisheries”, added Arauz.

We hope the government of Laura Chinchilla takes strong corrective measures”, said a hopeful Miguel Gómez, of Pretoma.  “Marine conservation and sustainable fisheries just can’t coexist with shrimp trawlers,” sentenced Gómez