|
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.
|
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.”
|
