For responsible artisanal fishing in Golfo Dulce For responsible artisanal fishing in Golfo Dulce
- Details
- Published on Monday, 19 December 2011 22:28
- Written by Super User
San José, Costa Rica.- Artisanal fishers of Pavones in the Costa Rican Pacific, grouped in the National Federation of of Artisanal Fisher Organizations (FENOPEA), are striving to get ahead, clear about the need to protect the fishery resource even though they work in difficult, high risk conditions. Their work is not well understood and little appreciated by those who eventually consume the fish.
The National Federation of Artisanal Fisher Organizations (FENOPEA) is the leading civil organization that MarViva supports for the implementation of the Golfo Dulce Marine Responsible Fishing Area.
FENOPEA consists of six, small-scale artisanal fisher associations from the towns of Puerto Jimenez, La Palma, Pavones, Pilón, Cocal Amarillo and Zancudo, which are located around the Golfo Dulce Marine Responsible Fishing Area (MRFA). It brings together 190 boat captains and laborers engaged in artisanal fishing, generally in three-man crews. It represents more than 80% of licenses fishers in this gulf.
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Pavones artisanal fishers belong to the National Federation of Artisanal Fisher Organizations (FENOPEA) and they are striving to get ahead, clear about the need to protect the fishery resource, even though they work in difficult, high risk conditions. |
FENOPEA’s main goal is to help implement this area, the largest in Central America. It has 750 km2 where fishing is regulated via closed seasons, zoned areas, fishing gear, species and minimum sizes. In addition to improving quality of life for artisanal fishers, this federation wants to consolidate itself nationally, supporting the management of a model area where life is better for the fishers and resources are used well, using best production and marketing practices, supporting control and surveillance actions, supporting fisheries monitoring, among other things.
FENOPEA President Víctor Rocha said that “MarViva’s contribution has been essential because it has helped us proceed better as a trade union; in addition to advising us on topics of marketing, project implementation and strengthening of fisher groups. We hope this partnership continues for a long time.”
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The work of the fishers is poorly understood and not highly valued by seafood consumers. |
Jorge Cole, Coordinator of Science and Communities for MarViva, said that “for this reason MarViva has designed and is implementing a Work Plan with the directors of FENOPEA to support the effective management of this important biological and socio-cultural area, through the strengthening of FENOPEA.”
The plan has four areas: training, formulation of projects for sustainable economic activities to complement fishing, control and surveillance, and impact on fishery and coastal commissions in areas including regulatory plans, fisheries management plans, etc.
