Four Costa Rica shrimp species get a reprieve from nets

Mike McDonald August 21, 2009

Shrimpers no longer will be allowed to take certain types of shrimp out of the Golfo de Nicoya, on the north-central Pacific coast.

The Costa Rican Fisheries Institute (INCOPESCA) has published in La Gaceta, the official government newspaper, a new regulation that prohibits the removal of carabali, colorado, teblina and titi shrimp.

Marvin Mora, a biologist with the institute, said the decision came as a move to prevent the over-extraction of the four species. He said that over-fishing these shrimp could affect the food supply of fish living in the golf.

“The principal objective is to avoid the capture of biological resources inside the Golfo de Nicoya that would negatively affect the equilibrium of the area’s nutrition,” Mora said in a statement.

INCOPESCA said the new regulation should not affect shrimpers’ yields because they are still allowed to fish white, pink and brown shrimp. According to a study by the institute, these three species can yield 1,200 metric tons per year.