The Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA) greenlighted eight vessels to undertake shrimp trawling research in the Pacific. Alarmingly, three of these vessels were detected within protected marine zones.
INCOPESCA granted these vessels licenses for a two-year research stint in the Pacific, during which they are allowed to exploit aquatic resources for commercial gain.
Several entities, including the MarViva Foundation, the National University (UNA), and the University of Costa Rica (UCR), have voiced concerns regarding this potentially detrimental practice.
These institutions suggest that INCOPESCA’s backing of these studies is a veiled attempt to reintroduce shrimp trawling.
Shrimp trawling has faced a ban in Costa Rica since 2013. The nation’s Constitutional Court has stipulated that any potential reinstatement of this practice requires rigorous technical studies to ensure minimal environmental impact.
Following the exposure of these breaches, INCOPESCA, in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Minae) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), broadcasted a press statement. The board’s intent to discuss these incidents in an upcoming Tuesday meeting was highlighted.
INCOPESCA further commented, “The implicated vessels are now in custody, with their captains awaiting legal proceedings in the Nicoya and Puntarenas Courts. Our satellite tracking systems were crucial in pinpointing their precise locations.”
On June 13, MarViva announced its legal confrontation with INCOPESCA at the Administrative and Civil Court of Finance (TCA), emphasizing the urgency to halt practices that promote trawling.
MarViva emphasized, “The Constitutional Chamber has underlined the need for substantial bycatch reduction for any consideration of trawl fishing. It mandates alignment with sustainable, democratic principles, accounting for ecosystem interactions, pollution, recuperative capabilities, and the broader populace. The present study seems to neglect these critical elements.”
Erick Brenes of MarViva criticized INCOPESCA for endorsing research that relies on outdated methodologies lacking a robust technical foundation. Among his concerns were the usage of an unchecked trawling net, flawed starting points for the research, and arbitrary net deployment durations.
