Escuela Para NauTicas Program Empowers Women in Sportfishing Through Technical Training, Coastal Leadership, and Real Employment Opportunities

Twenty women from Costa Rica’s Central and Southern Pacific communities are beginning a new chapter in the nation’s sportfishing industry as they join the fifth generation of the Women’s Nautical School, a program led by the Costa Rican Federation of Sportfishing (FECOP) with the support of Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, which has hosted and championed the initiative for years.

The Nautical School was created to promote gender equity in a traditionally male-dominated field, equipping women with practical skills in seamanship, maritime safety, and customer service within the sportfishing tourism sector.

According to the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), more than 28% of anglers who visit Costa Rica for sportfishing are women, reflecting a major shift in tourism trends and highlighting the growing demand for inclusive, empathetic services. Training women as deckhands and future captains not only empowers them but also contributes to a more diverse, high-quality, and sustainable national fleet.

Over the past five generations, the Nautical School has trained dozens of women who have become industry leaders—among them Josabeth Gonzales Abarca, Marisol Sánchez Morales, Yessenia Valverde, and Leoni Barry—paving the way for future female mariners.

The 2025 edition introduces a new Nautical Training Guide, developed by FECOP with support from the European Union, designed to enhance the teaching and learning process. In a meaningful act of continuity and empowerment, this year’s instructors are graduates from earlier editions, now returning to share their expertise with new students.

“It’s a challenge for women to enter this sector, but many captains and crew members are willing to teach and share their knowledge. We are capable of performing these roles—this School is our gateway to professional growth and to inspiring more women to join the sportfishing industry,” said Josabeth Gonzales Abarca, instructor of the program.

With this new generation, FECOP reaffirms its commitment to gender equality, sustainable development, and social inclusion across coastal communities—creating real employment opportunities for women and building a more diverse, inclusive, and resilient fishing industry.