The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission has announced that the response to the request to increase the tonnage of fishing in the Eastern Pacific will be given in October.
Noting a lack of sufficient information and studies to determine more clearly the potential impact of increasing the quota, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) said it will postpone the decision until October.
85% of the seafood consumed by Americans is imported, with shrimp, freshwater fish fillets and crab having the largest volume of all such goods imported from abroad.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office:
Some time ago, the USA depended only on shellfish fished on its coasts, the state of New York was famous for its oysters and Louisiana and Mississippi for its prawns, but things have changed.
Through an initiative of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute development of sport fishing in the Pacific will be encouraged.
With the creation of the National Commission for the Protection of the Sailfish, the authorities intend to promote the growth of sportfishing tourism in the country, a sector that has been gaining greater prominence in recent years in countries such as Guatemala,Costa Rica and Panama.
The publication of the decree signed by former President Chinchilla to regulate tuna fishing using purse seine has been delayed while the new administration formulates its position on the matter.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Federation of Fishing (Fecop):
Government postpones for 60 days publication of Decree to regulate purse seine tuna fishing
Agricultural fairs, supermarkets and independent retailers are the preferred places to purchase fruits and vegetables in Costa Rica.
The study "Trends in Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables, Seafood in Costa Rican Families" presented by the Integral Agricultural Marketing Program (PIMA) presents a comparative analysis of the consumption of these foods in the year 2012.
A decree defines the economic zones for the country, establishing new rules for commercial tuna fishing.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), two polygons are established in a special order:
The restricted zone
"Two polygons are established in a special order. The first comprises of the area between the low water mark and 60 nautical miles along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
In 2013 total production increased by 8% and foreign sales of fish, shrimp , lobsters and seafood, by 28%.
Fish production last year grew by 8%, with farmed shrimp products having the largest increase. Foreign sales of fish, shrimp, shellfish and lobsters reported a 28% increase compared to 2012, going from $192 million to $246 million at the end of 2013, according to statistics from the Center for Exports.
There is ample opportunity for countries that are willing to invest in better management of fisheries and environmentally sustainable aquaculture.
According to a report entitled "Fisheries Sector 2030: Prospects for fisheries and aquaculture" prepared by the World Bank (WB), almost two thirds of the seafood consumed globally will be produced by fish farming methods in 2030.
Absence of policies focussing on productivity, limited access to technology and lack of infrastructure are limiting performance of the sector.
In recent years the competitiveness of the agriculture and fisheries sectors in Panama has been affected negatively by a lack of adequate policies for competing on equal terms both in the local market and with imported goods and internationally.
Fishermen are calling for attention from the national authorities over the recovery of the activity which is now mostly performed by foreign companies.
They are asking the next government to seek solutions to the difficulties they face by dealing with illegal fishing and promoting financing options, among other things.
From a press release by the Puntarenas Chamber of Fishermen:
A new comprehensive legal framework is needed to promote sustainable development of industrial and artisanal fisheries, preserving marine and coastal biodiversity.
"Both industrial and artisanal fisheries have been threatened by the lack of a clear law that encourages the development of the fisheries sector. Added to this is the small amount of support received from the institutions responsible for enforcing the current law," explained the president of the Salvadoran Chamber of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Waldemar Arnecke.
The disease affecting shellfish in Asia has driven up prices and benefited exporters in the region.
The lesser supply of shellfish has led to an increase in international prices which has in turn increased the value of exports sent from Central America.
In Nicaragua alone sales between January and October this year amounted to $75.6 million, representing an increase of 12% over what was exported in 2012.
In contrast to the forecasts of reduced fish resources, an increase in production of mollusk in the region has been projected.
In the region there are about 150 thousand artisanal fishermen of which about 2,500 are devoted to the cultivation of oysters, especially in Costa Rica and El Salvador. Although it is a small amount the Organization of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Central America (OSPESCA) argues that the idea is to create a new alternative.
The country has awarded four industrial fishing licenses in the new maritime space recognized by the International Court of Justice in the dispute with Colombia.
The permits were given a month ago to entrepreneurs from Honduras and Panama and four more boats are waiting for a response from the authorities, confirmed Santos Rugama, fishery inspector at the South Atlantic Autonomous Regional Government.