For Immediate Release:
A Bad Month for Sharks in Costa Rica
Costa Rican Fishery Department Claims Refuted,
More Foreign Vessels Landing,
Sharks Disappearing
(April 16, 2004 - San José, Costa Rica)
According to data
provided by the Port Authority of Puntarenas (Costa Rica's largest
Pacific port), more foreign longline vessels landed at Puntarenas in
March 2004 than during any month since June of 2003. This information
directly contradicts statements made in mid-March by the Costa Rican
Fishery Department (INCOPESCA) claiming that international longline
fleets, that target sharks, were abandoning Costa Rica, resulting in a
rise in fish prices.
Since June of 2003, it has been common
for 20 to 25 international longline vessels to land each month in
Puntarenas, but in March, a total of 30 of these vessels landed (see
Figure 1). In addition, these vessels landed a record quantity of
shark products, 600 tons (see Figure 2). However, each vessel is
on average actually landing fewer sharks (see Figure 3).
Analysis
of the landings of the 30 vessels that landed in March also reveals
lack of port controls and other noteworthy information:
• Of
the 30 foreign longline vessels that landed products in March, 13 were
not inspected by Customs authorities in Caldera (the site where
inspectors make an official visit to all foreign fishing
vessels).
• All of the product landings took place at
private docks which have not been authorized by law to receive foreign
fishing vessel landings.
• Only one vessel declared bringing
shark fins unattached to shark carcasses and the weight ratio between
fins and carcasses was approximately 11%, well above the maximum
percentage of 5% recommended by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature, a percentage used in the US, Australia and the
European Union.
"What is occurring is plain to see, and it is
not that the price of fish is higher due to an alleged exodus of
international fleets, on the contrary," states Randall Arauz,
President of PRETOMA. "More foreign vessels are arriving, but they are
landing fewer sharks per vessel, which reflects a decline in shark
populations in the waters of our region. Any fisherman with more than
10 years of experience can confirm that sharks are disappearing."
"It
is disturbing that INCOPESCA has not been able to regulate shark
resources and apply precautionary measures to ensure a system of
sustainable shark management based on available shark research and
existing laws," says Allan Bolanos, also of PRETOMA. "INCOPESCA, as
the principal fishery authority, is required to create and implement
effective policies before it is too late. The simplest first step is
to bring the foreign vessels in compliance with the law and demand that
they land only at authorized docks, until there is a legal framework
in place to regulate activity at private docks."
For a pdf version of this release including all figures click here. |
