Author’s Note: This is the second item in a series of articles that touch on the subject of sustainable practices in Costa Rica. There is a high degree of innovation and street smarts involved in sustainability; if you happen to know of a good sustainability tip, please feel free to share it with The Costa Rica Star.

An artificial ocean reef project in the sandy bottoms of Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste will bring further growth to the region in sustainable manner.

A few concrete blocks strung together by stainles steel construction bars (similar to rebar) have managed to attract 25 species of fish, crustaceans and mollusks to the Condofish project.

In 1985, a Mexican tuna fishing boat ran aground near Playa Hermosa, not far from the community of Carrillo. A fire aboard the vessel caused it to lose its watertight properties, and thus the boat ended up sinking. Seventeen years later, divers exploring the area could not find the wreckage; it had been transformed into an ocean reef brimming with marine life at a depth of only 10 meters.

The finding by the divers inspired the Condofish project. Taking the new artificial reef as a reference point, a dozen concrete block structures surround the former wreckage, inviting the aquatic life to take residence therein. Each structure consists of 40 blocks that are balanced with enough density to stay in place and not be swayed by the currents, as well as enough buoyancy to avoid sinking into the sandy bottom.

Seven volunteers are involved in the project. There are also mini-reef structures of a single concrete block that help divers find their way around the 150 square meter area. Condofish counts with the blessing of the Ministry of the Enviroment (MINAET) as an investigative project, which means that it is at the service of the scientific research community.

Here’s where the sustainable aspect of Condofish comes into play. When we explore natural coral reef and marvel at the abundance of life contained therein, we rarely stop to think about the impact that our scuba diving or snorkeling session may have on that underwater ecosystem. The fact is that some diving and snorkeling spots are under more pressure by human exploration than others.

The Condofish project alleviates the crowding at other reefs. If has a novelty factor, and it is located at a comfortable depth and within reasonable swimming distance from the beach. Artificial reefs also encourage migration of species, and to that extent there have lobsters sighted. In a few years, a responsible lobster catch program for sustenance and commerce could be realized at Playa Hermosa.

In the socioeconomic realm, Condofish provides one more ecotourism attraction to the area. The dive shops and tour operators in the area know about the project and realize that it sounds very appealing to tourists. In a few years, the fact that Condofish began as a wreckage and a network of concrete blocks will be an afterthought, as by that time the reef will have blossomed into a thriving underwater habitat.