Sport fishermen in Costa Rica are even happier than usual these days with regular sightings of larger schools of fish and dolphins, said the Costa Rican Fishing Federation, FECOP.

They are chalking the increasing up to tough restrictions signed into law by Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís in 2014 prohibiting tuna purse-seine operations within 45 miles of the coast.

“This effectively prohibits tuna purse-seining in more than 200,000 square kilometers of territorial waters,” said Todd Staley, a FECOP representative, in a press statement.

Staley, who is also director of fishing at Crocodile Bay Resort, says that sport-fishing boats are seeing bigger schools of yellowfin tuna as well as larger groups of spinner and spotted dolphins as a result of the country’s restrictions on purse-seining.

The purse-seine bycatch of billfish in the country’s waters has also declined – from more than 30 metric tons annually to just over 5 metric tons, added Staley.

 

Prior to 2014, an estimated 44 foreign tuna boats were bringing in hauls of 25,000 metric tons of tuna annually, according to Moises Mug, the non-profit FECOP’s science director. Over 60 percent of the tuna was delivered to foreign ports.

The increased restrictions have decreased the number of purse-seine licenses to foreigner tuna boats  about eight, and their quota has been reduced to 8,000 to 9,000 metric tons, all of which must be sold to local canneries.

Sport fishers hope this measure continues to, “reduce the bycatch impact that tuna purse seiners have on marine mammals, billfishes, sharks, dorado and wahoo,” according to FECOP’s Mug.

Since the presidential decree was enacted, champions of sustainable fishing that also enhances sport fishing oppo0rtunities have been pushing for legislation to make the restrictions on purse-seining in Costa Rican waters permanent, explained Staley.

FECOP is currently investing more than US$100,000 on a joint project with two government agencies to train local fishermen on using a “green stick” method for tuna fishing which ensures virtually no by-catch, and on proper handing so their product can receive top dollar on the market, said Staley.