President Pacheco Orders Customs to End Shark
Finning and Foreign Vessel Landings at Private Docks
On March 8, 2005, President Pacheco wrote to the Minister of Hacienda
calling for an end to shark finning and foreign vessel landings at
private docks.
He points out that in November 2004 the shark finning issue in Costa
Rica had been solved by halting the landings of foreign vessels at
private docks in Puntarenas.
However, states the President in the letter, “For some reason,
unbeknownst to me, and against the conservationist philosophy of this
government, this practice has begun again.”
He then states, “I earnestly request that you take the necessary
measures to stop this atrocity.”
For years it had been impossible to enforce shark finning bans and
landings of shark fins in Costa Rica because foreign vessels were
allowed to illegally land at private docks where State officials, do not
have free access. Landings by foreign vessels at private docks of up to
30 tons of shark fins resulted. This activity was in direct violation of
Costa Rican Customs law which clearly states foreign vessels must land
at public docks where officials have free access and laws such as a ban
on landing shark fins can be enforced.
Customs itself had been permitting the illegal landings by foreign
vessels, but after years of pressure and petitioning from over 75,000
citizens, shark experts, and national and international organizations,
Customs finally was forced to halt the illegal activity in November of
2004.
However, after complaints from Taiwanese private dock owners, during the
Christmas Holidays, Customs, without notifying the President, quietly
began allowing foreign vessels to illegally land once again at the
private docks.
“The President joins the thousands of citizens who know that the only
way to enforce a ban on shark finning is to stop the landings of foreign
vessels at private docks,” says Randall Arauz, founder of PRETOMA.
“Customs Law prohibits foreign vessels from landing at private docks,
because inspectors do not have free access and you cannot defend the
public interest. It is imperative for foreign vessels to land where the
public interest can be protected and where the new Fishery Law, which
includes a ban on shark finning, can be enforced.”
On March 11, 2005, PRETOMA wrote to the Minister of Hacienda, Señor
Federico Carrillo Zürcher, asking what concrete steps he would take to
halt the landings of foreign vessels at private docks.
PRETOMA (Programa Restauración de Tortugas Marinas) 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 [email protected].
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