Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto
Dirección de Comunicación Institucional
TELEFONO (00 506) 2256 65 61
FAX 2256 67 37
Correo Electrónico: comunicacion@rree.go.cr Portal electrónico: www.rree.go.cr
Costa Rica reiterates its commitment to the preservation of marine biodiversity
and its vocation to the rule of law
Costa Rica is a country internationally recognized for its leadership and its tradition of
environmental conservation. The commitment of the government of Costa Rica has
remained steadfast over several decades, resulting in the development of strong
environmental protection policies, which are appreciated and valued worldwide.
Among the efforts put forth by Costa Rica, is the implementation of a formula that will
allow an evolution in harmony with nature, in accordance with the recognition, inscribed
in our Constitution, that is all people are entitled to a healthy and ecologically balanced
environment. Costa Rica's efforts have enabled the country to be one of the top 5
countries to further protect the environment.
Since the 1970s, the country created, and has since been strengthening, an extensive
network of national parks that now cover 25% of the national territory. Costa Rica has
complemented this effort with a variety of public policies that have succeeded in
reversing the deforestation rate to the point that it was the first tropical country on the
planet to see its forest coverage double, reaching now 52% of its national territory.
Costa Rica recently signed the Nagoya Protocol, in order to expand the protected
marine areas from minuscule levels up to a 10% of our oceans.
In regards to the protection of marine species, Costa Rica also stands out for its efforts
both at the national and international levels. The commitment to the protection of sharks
is supported in particular by extensive legislation designed to conserve marine wildlife,
control fishing, and call for a sustainable use of resources.
Furthermore, Costa Rican legislation directly attacks the practice known as "finning",
which involves cutting the shark's fins and subsequently releasing its body back into the
ocean. Together with other countries in the region, Costa Rica has undertaken
administrative, judicial and political efforts to eradicate this practice, as part of the
"Regional Action Plan for the Management and Conservation of Sharks in Central
America". Additionally, the country leads a proposal at the Convention for International
Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) to include the hammerhead sharks in a list that
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protects them from international trafficking trade. This effort has been supported by local
NGOs, such as PRETOMA and MARVIVA, and international organizations such as
TNC; and it has also benefitted from a growing support by countries such as Honduras
and Colombia, that have joined our efforts within CITES in regards to the protection of
this species.
Hand in hand with these advances, there are also limitations of personnel and
resources to address the multiple threats towards the environment as a whole, and in
particular to significantly advance in the fight against illegal shark finning. Despite these
difficulties, the Costa Rican Judicial Tribunals recently sanctioned illegal fishing in
national waters in exemplary manner, particularly within Cocos Island National Park,
which is a World Heritage Site inscribed in UNESCO. There have been several criminal
cases opened against national and international vessels that have been caught fishing
illegally in protected areas.
Along with the points mentioned above and the credentials of our country in the areas of
environmental protection and conservation, Costa Rica is also recognized worldwide as
a country respectful of the rule of law, human rights and whose judicial system respects
due process. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica is home to the Inter-American Court of
Human Rights.
As for the fight against shark finning, in addition to the legal framework there is also a
commitment of our authorities to combat this practice. It follows that the fight against
this harmful activity, which is an obvious threat to the exceptionally rich Costa Rican
oceans, must be undertaken in accordance to existing laws. No person, domestic or
foreign, may violate the existing legal framework of our country in order to defend the
causes he considers just, nor to usurp our country’s authority.
Paul Watson, a Canadian citizen, has been accused in the Costa Rican courts by Costa
Rican citizens as a result of acts that he allegedly committed in 2002. He presumably
put a ship at risk of sinking and threatened the life and physical integrity of those
aboard. As in any other incident involving a land or sea vehicle incident, the affected
may resort to the Costa Rican tribunals to present their grievances and demands.
The alleged acts for which Mr. Paul Watson is being judged in Costa Rica occurred in
2002 and took place in Guatemalan waters, at which time Mr. Watson attempted to take
justice into his own hands. Mr. Watson’s attempt to sink the Costa Rican fishing boats
was motivated by the Costa Rican vessel’s fishing with the purpose of finning. However,
the defendant’s assumption has never been demonstrated.
On the contrary, what is demonstrated by a video prepared by his own assistants, is
that he rammed his boat against the Costa Rican fishing vessel, and subsequently tied
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it to his own, allegedly causing injuries to the crew and threatening against their life and
integrity. This is the account of the facts with respect to Mr. Watson, who after being
required to appear before the Costa Rican judicial authorities to clarify the complaint of
the alleged victims, disappeared from Costa Rican territory and did not show up to court
when summoned. This has led to a warrant for his arrest.
With absolute respect for the principles of due process and judicial independence, the
Costa Rican tribunals act independently from the Executive Branch.
Costa Rica is a country that offers sufficient guarantees of due process, without any
political interference. The trial of Mr. Watson will be no exception.
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