Costa Rica News – Costa Rica’s policies are now running parallel with their actions. Although Costa Rica has legislation banning shark finning in its waters, it continues to allow the practice to occur and at the same time have received millions of dollars in “gifts” from China.
For anyone that thinks this is a coincidence, you have been blinded by what the Costa Rica government wants you to think. They have continued to use smoke and mirrors to hide the truth which is Shark Finning is a huge business in Costa Rica and stopping it means the officials lose a great deal on income from it.
Now it seems that Costa Rica has decided to stop the charade.
Costa Rica’s government has taken a step back regarding conservation efforts. It decided to not support the inclusion of shark species in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Convention on Migratory Species.
This irresponsible decision was protested by at least 16 different organizations in the field of environmental work. These organizatons are angered and outraged. Many countries had previously looked to Costa Rica as an example of how to care for the environment and wildlife, but this image is very quickly fading.
The decision was based on a negotiation with the fishing sector. Still, how the Government can put commercial interests above the need to save endangered species is unbelievable.
The Silky Shark is a big concern because in 2014 Costa Rica supported Egypt’s decision to include this shark in a list that obliges countries to take action to recover the species but now the recent decision goes against that in favor of the wishes of fishermen.
Shark finning like drug trafficking has a lot of power and money behind it and will continue to happen in Costa Rica.
