Fisheries Conference in
Puntarenas To Reduce
Bycatch of Sea Turtles
Fishermen, government
leaders and scientists
from 38 countries are in
Puntarenas this week to
discuss methods of
reducing bycatch of sea
turtles.
Unwanted marine
creatures that are
caught in the nets while
fishing for another
species; thousands of
dolphins, marine birds
and other animals are
killed as part of the
by-catch each year.
This is the Fourth
Annual International
Fisher's Forum that
began Monday at the
hotel Fiesta in the port
town of Puntarenas,
Costa Rica's most
important fishing
region.
The event that includes
discussions,
presentations and a tour
of the Gulf of Nicoya,
will end tomorrow,
Thursday.
Jim Leape, president of
the World Wildlife Fund,
which is sponsoring the
event, said that "if we
don't act quickly and
decisively, we could see
our fisheries collapse."
Carlos Villalobos,
executive director of
the Costa Rican
Fisheries Institute (INCOPESCA),
agrees with Leape in
that the bycatch of sea
turtles and other marine
species is an essential
step in solving the
problem.
"We are in a historic
position to reduce the
impact on the oceans",
Villalobos said, who
added that Costa Rica is
proud to be part of the
movement. |
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