CONTACT: Randall Arauz, President
Noah Anderson
Edgar Castrillo
TEL: +(506) 241-5227
FAX: +(506) 236-6017
Massive March in Costa Rica Against Shark Finning
September 19, 2004 - Costa Rica
On Friday, Sept. 17, 2004, Costa
Ricans marched through the streets of Puntarenas, Costa Rica's largest
Pacific port, against shark finning and calling on Customs to enforce
the national Customs law which says foreign vessels may not land at
private docks.
The foreign vessel landings at private docks
are a major concern due to the hundreds of tons of shark fins that
these vessels land, and the fact that not even government inspectors
have free access to the private docks to supervise the landings and
protect the public interest.
The march was attended by students
from schools in Puntarenas, national fishermen, members of the
Puntarenas community, 15 NGOs as well as students and faculty from
Costa Rica's two largest universities.
The event began at the
city's Marine Park with presentations from grade school students such
as dances and songs related to protecting the ocean, as well as short
speeches from NGO leaders.
From Marine Park, all participants marched through the streets cheering and chanting various slogans: "No to Shark Finning" "Enforce the law in the Private Docks" "Puntarenas Yes, Shark Finning No" "Costa Rica Yes, Shark Finning No" "Fishermen Yes, Shark Finning No"
The
march and message were directed at Customs which invites foreign shark
finning vessels to land at private docks in violation of the very Costa
Rican Customs Law.
The marchers gathered round the Customs
office waving banners and group chanting, "No to Shark Finning.
Enforce the law in the Private Docks."
"By allowing foreign shark
finning vessels to illegally land at private docks the Costa Rican
government is promoting shark finning," said Randall Arauz, President
of PRETOMA. "And by promoting shark finning the Costa Rican government
is doing two things: promoting the unsustainable depletion of ocean
resources that our national fishermen need to make a living, and
failing to protect the oceans for future generations of Costa Ricans."
"Fishermen
and school children showed up today and called on Customs to do what's
best for Costa Rica," said Edgar Castrillo, PRETOMA Campaign
Coordinator. "It is time for Customs and the Costa Rican government to
hear these voices and to take the simple step of enforcing the existing
law to protect the public interest, protect our national fishermen and
to protect the oceans for future generations."
PRETOMA
is a Costa Rican non-profit, non-governmental, marine conservation
organization that works to promote responsible fisheries and protect
sea turtles, sharks and marine biodiversity. Contact
.
