As The Costa Rica Star reported a few days ago, controversy has raised after the Board of Directors of the Costa Rican Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute (Incopesca) is granting new trawling permits, a practice that is prohibited by law in Costa Rica since 2013 due to the environmental damages it causes; Incopesca argues that these new licenses would be granted considering 25 regulatory improvements that guarantee better conditions for the protection of marine resources.

The environmental groups are completely against this practice, and are now requesting digital signatures to back the document they will be presenting requesting the agreement of Incopesca be annulled and that quality and sustainable alternatives are offered to the shrimpers.

Gustavo Meneses, president of the Incopesca board of directors, stands behind the Institute’s resolution “We have tried to make a comprehensive decision to not just offer a response to the environmental aspect, but also the social economic aspect, the importance it has for the population and the city of Puntarenas. We have analyzed the variables and we reached the conclusion that the shrimp fishing can be carried out for the benefit of the people, and limit the environmental impact the activity had before the Constitutional Chamber’s resolution”, stated Meneses in an interview with local news outlet Amelia Rueda.

Meneses justifies that there are 3,700 people that depend economically of shrimp trawling since there are 1,100 fisherman dedicated to this practice.

Incopesca’s resolution was ratified this Friday, November 24; even though the Constitutional Chamber had clearly stated in 2013 that the only way they could reconsider allowing this practice would be if enough changes were met to make it a sustainable practice, which would need to be demonstrated through technical studies supported by the scientific community. This has not happened as of yet.

Incopesca mentions the implementation of several environmental improvements, such as the use of bycatch reduction devices, the use of satellite technology to confirm the location of the shrimpers, environmental zoning to help reduce impacts, protect sharks and turtles, and avoid conflicts between artisan fishing and industrial fishing, among others.

The question is, are there really enough resources to ensure that this “improvements” are really implemented, when even today authorities find shrimpers fishing in protected marine areas?

The Center for the Investigation of Sea Science and Limnology (Cimar) of the University of Costa Rica reaffirmed their position against trawling, so did the Ministry of Environment.

If you want to sign the digital petition: http://bit.ly/2zE3oLF