128Canopy Blog

A group of experts are currently in Costa Rica carrying out field work in the study of the Green Macaw.  Biologists from Central and South America are gathered in the town of Siquirres in Costa Rica’s Atlantic region where the Green Macaw Conservation Workshop is taking place.

The Green Macaw is the largest of the parrot family and lives in the tropical rain forests of the countries of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador: countries from which the experts come from.

A representative for the Tropical Scientific Center said that the biologists will focus on studying the bird’s tendencies and determine if its population is increasing.  The purpose of the workshop is to set a cooperative plan to come up with common strategies that will help preserve the Green Macaw species.

The Green Macaw species has been declared as an endangered species and experts estimate that there is an approximate population of 3,800 left in the Central and South Pacific Region.   In Costa Rica, authorities have adopted measures that protect the Green Macaw as well as its habitat that may serve as a starting point for the rest of Central and South America.

Some of the measure Costa Rican authorities have taken to protect the species includes the temporary prohibition of cutting down the almond tree from which the Macaw feeds as well as where it reproduces.

Costa Rica was able to lower the amount of illegal traffic of the Green Macaw which the countries of Ecuador and Nicaragua are still struggling to bring down.

Tiuna Ship Fined for Illegal Fishing in Coco Island’s Waters

It took the Environmental Tribunal over 2 months to finally reach a verdict regarding the dispute between the captain of the Tiuna ship and the Costa Rican government.  The large tuna ship was spotted earlier this year fishing in the protected waters of Costa Rica’s Coco Island in the Pacific Ocean.

The ship’s captain and owners were fined with $668,000 for damages caused to the environment while fishing for tuna in government protected waters.  The Coco Island’s park rangers detected the ship within the 12 nautical mile protected zone which surrounds the island while the ship’s captain states they were located at 13 miles from the island.

The Costa Rican National Coast Guard found over 280 tons of tuna in the ship’s storage compartment.  The Coco Island was named a National Patrimony and is also a candidate for the New 7 Nature Wonders of the World.  The rich marine life in the Coco Island is a diver’s haven.  One of the largest population of hammerhead sharks are found in these protected waters.

The Environmental Tribunal also requested the Costa Rican Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture (Incopesca) to revoke the Tiuna’s fishing license as well as pay the $668,000 fine.  Authorities have stated that part of the funds will be granted to the National Cost Guard Service while the remaining amount will be given to the National Park Foundation to be invested exclusively in the protection of the Coco Island.

On the other hand, the Panamanian flag ship’s lawyers will appeal the ruling stating that the tribunal only had 2 months to announce the verdict and that they took 2 months and 17 days to do so.