legal

Sport fishing group condemns poaching

An association of sport fishing clubs has called for authorities to revoke license of vessels caught fishing illegally.

LA PRENSA

big catch: A new satellite monitoring system in protected areas will help authorities reel in illegal fishing vessels.1053501

The Asociación de Clubes de Pesca Deportiva, or the Association of Sport Fishing Clubs, supported the Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (Anam) and the Fundación MarViva in taking action against fishing vessels that enter protected waters such as Parque Nacional Coiba (PNC).

Luis López Alfaro, secretary of the Asociación, railed against recent incidents of illegal fishing around Coiba, saying “these abuses cannot continue. An example must be made by revoking their [fishing] license. We can’t allow any fishing vessel to be above the law and act in defiance of the authorities.”

Park rangers patrolling PNC waters earlier this week caught a fishing boat belonging to Naves América, S.A. It was the second time in less than two months that one of the company’s boats was cited for illegal fishing in the park.

Naves América chairman Fotis Lymberópulos, is also a member of the Junta Directiva de la Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos (Arap), the department responsible for overseeing the country’s aquatic resources and fisheries.

Lymberópulos has not come forward testify regarding the first of the two poaching incidents near Isla Jicarón, which occurred on May 16, despite a summons from Anam.

However, Arap legal advisor Ramón Diez, said that as of July 12, authorities will be implementing a system of satellite monitoring for commercial fishing vessels of six tons or greater to avoid further exploitation of resources in protected areas.

Diez explained that the system send a signal to Arap’s monitoring station in the event that a boat crosses into prohibited areas. Rangers will then contact the boat by phone or radio.