Every morning in Costa Rica, sport and tourism fishing enterprises take to the water.
It is an economic activity that sustains thousands of families in Costa Rica every year, but that has often been portrayed in simplistic terms—large, foreign enterprises, say, or luxury yachts. But in reality, there are almost as many types of fishing in Costa Rica as there are species of fish in these waters. (Well, perhaps not quite so many as that.)
This edition showcases stories from a sector much more diverse than it has been given credit for, and is doing so through a project that has made a special effort to train and support local media.
It’s said that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and that’s the spirit behind this edition.
Families in Tárcoles, on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast, have relied on small scale fishing for years—but this way of life is increasingly precarious. An alternative, fishing tours, has brought new opportunities.
The lionfish is an invasive species that is damaging the coral reefs along Costa Rica's southern Caribbean coast. Local fishermen hold lionfish fishing tournaments to try to reduce the population.
Tourism initiatives centered on sport fishing require much more than a healthy ocean. It depends on trained personnel both on and off the water who can meet ever client’s needs. In Costa Rica’s Central and Southern Pacific, this is what’s being promoted and protected.
When talking with fishermen and community leaders Garvin, Gerald, Eduardo, and Jayson about their experience fishing in the Costa Rican Caribbean, the list of species and the communities' commitment seems endless.
Fishing, like many water activities, is a space for building community, making friends, experiencing adventures, and creating memories. Fishing clubs in Costa Rica are a testament to this.
In the world of sport fishing, women participate in pre-fishing activities (such as preparing food for the crews) and post-fishing activities (filleting, selling the catch, and cooking). A school that started in Guanacaste and is now located in Puntarenas seeks to integrate women into the workforce on tourist and sport fishing vessels.
The fishing community of Costa Rica’s North Pacific comes together to care for the sea, the coasts, their families, and their communities. This effort wears various hats, but everyone’s working towards the same goal.
An unprecedented effort to unite stakeholders in the sport and fishing tourism sectors across the country is beginning to yield its first results: the “Sectoral Strategic Roadmap” presented by the Costa Rican Fishing Federation (FECOP).Un esfuerzo sin precedentes por articular a los actores de la pesca deportiva y turística de todo el país comienza a rendir sus primeros resultados: la “Ruta Estratégica Sectorial” presentada por la Federación Costarricense de Pesca Turística (FECOP).
