Costa Rica Sport Fishing Group Sends 1,000 Food Baskets to Coastal Communities

Coastal Communities Receive Aid from Fishing Group

More than 1,000 food baskets were sent to families of fishermen along both coasts of Costa Rica whose market collapsed with the current restrictions from the Covid 19 outbreak. FECOP, the National Sport Fishing Federation used their regional councils in Guanacaste, Quepos, Golfo Dulce, and Limon to distribute the baskets of staples. The
Brujas del Mar co-op in Puntarenas delivered baskets in their area. Amigos de Turismo Costero y Pesca distributed in the southern zone.

In some cases the food basket traveled by 4-wheel drive and even boat to reach out of the way destinations like Barra del Colorado, Tortuguero, and Parismini. Henry Marin, spokesperson for FECOP commented, “The entire fishing sector is in dire need. Fishing tourism has come to a halt and the artisanal and longline commercial fishermen are also gravely affected”.

Although FECOP´s main purpose is to support sport fishing and influence good fishing practices and regulations through science, conservation, and education, the food items will cross sector barriers where there are usually some differences, and help all fishing sectors. 350 of the baskets will go to Barco de Alimentos, the food bank center set up by the longline sector in Puntarenas.

“We juggled our budget and put a couple science projects on hold for now so we could pitch in on this effort,” explained Marin. “We are planning to do the same next month if the need continues.”

For information contact Henry Marin at hmarin@fecop.org www.FishCostaRica.org