Fuerza Publica guards the rescued sea turtles. Source: MSP

Despite dangerous surf conditions off the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, law enforcement and environmental protection officers apprehended three men suspected of hunting sea turtles with harpoons.

According to press release CP-1407-2013 of the Ministry of Public Security (Spanish initials: MSP), the incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon. An officer from Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, was conducting a foot patrol along with a conservation official from the Ministry of the Environment (Spanish acronym: MINAE) in Tortuguero, a vast national park and sanctuary for sea turtles. Using binoculars, the officers noticed a small boat in the horizon, and the activity of the three men aboard suggested sea turtle poaching.

Immediately, two small boats from Fuerza Publica and MINAE got underway to intercept the suspected poachers, who steered their vessel out to sea. In the hopes of losing their pursuers, the poachers thought the rough seas would deter the two small boats after them; nonetheless, the MINAE and Fuerza Publica boats continued to chase after them while skillfully maneuvering the ocean swells. In the end, no shots were fired.

The poaching crew threw three sea turtles overboard, some of them with harpoons still incrusted in their shells. One of the MINAE officers commented that these shell injuries are exacerbated when the turtles attempt to swim away, which only leads them to their death. The officers were able to rescue three adult green sea turtles, which weigh more than 120 kilograms. These reptiles are currently being treated by a wildlife rescue center in Costa Rica.

The three suspected poachers were taken before prosecutors in Guapiles. The three men are from Limon; their last names are Arrieta, Castellon and Granados. The officers involved in the search confiscated their handmade harpoons and other equipment they used to ply their nefarious poaching trade. 

The Caribbean region of Costa Rica has been in the spotlight of sea turtle conservation and security in recent weeks. This is where the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, founded by Canadian conservation activist Paul Watson, is conducting Operation Jairo, an effort to protect nesting sea turtles from poachers.

Operation Jairo volunteers have been threatened and attacked by poachers on at least one occasion, which prompted the National Coast Guard Service of Costa Rica to augment security patrols in the area.