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(506) 2223-1327        San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, July 3, 2008, Vol. 8, No. 131        E-mail us
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Sports fishing and commercial boat
Photos courtesy of Maverick Sportfishing Yachts Co.
Commercial tuna boat Andrea F closes in on a sportsfishing vessel
Sportsfishing boats harassed by commercial vessel
By Jeremy Arias
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Seven sportfishing boats, including two American boats, were surrounded and repeatedly harassed by a larger industrial purse seine boat while out fishing for tuna off Los Sueños Saturday.

The private fishing boats were fishing a large school of yellow fin tuna when at about 1:40 p.m. they began to be harassed by a low-flying helicopter dispatched from the Andrea F, a nearby Nicaraguan fishing vessel that uses a purse seine style net to trap large schools of fish, according to Nancy Lebo, part-owner of two of the Costa Rican boats.

“The helicopter was buzzing very low over our boats trying to get them off of the school and just harassing our boats.” Mrs. Lebo said.

Mrs. Lebo, along with her husband, Richard, own the Spanish Fly and the Dragin' Fly through Maverick Sportfishing Yachts. The Marlin Mujer and the Fish Whistle, Costa Rican boats, as well as the Gringo Honeymoon and the Desperado, American flagged ships, were involved.

The seventh ship, the King Fisher, is a Costa Rican beach boat, according to Maverick company documents.

After attempts to disperse the seven boats with the helicopter failed, the Andrea F approached and encircled the smaller vessels in its large net and did not leave for at least an hour, according to Mrs. Lebo.

“They proceeded to put their gear all around the boats and tried to intimidate them into moving away from the school.” She said, adding that several smaller speedboats were sent out from Andrea F as well.

Danny Espinosa, the captain of the Spanish Fly, saw a man on the deck of one of the harassing boats holding a firearm according to e-mails between Maverick representative Larry Drivon and Billfish Foundation representative Russell Nelson.
sprsfishing boat
Chopper hovers over a sportsfishing boat

“My captain said he saw what looked like a gun from one of the guys in the little speedboat,” Mrs. Lebo said, “It's common knowledge that these boats are armed.”

Regardless, the Andrea F eventually drew in its nets and departed when the smaller boats showed no signs of leaving.

Mrs. Lebo claims these sorts of incidents are unfortunately quite common and frequently cannot be prevented by Costa Rican authorities.

A similar incident occurred Friday near Quepos, when the scouting helicopter from a large industrial boat allegedly scared off several private fishing boats by dropping cherry bombs nearby. It is unclear whether the Andrea F was involved in Friday's actions.

The Billfish Foundation contacted the Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura regarding the event, and calls have been placed to the Judicial Investigating Organization in Puntarenas as well, according to Maverick documents and Mrs. Lebo.

“All they want to do is take people out and give them a nice fishing day,” Mrs. Lebo said, “To have to deal with something like this? It's just a shame.”


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