Costa Rica´s Constitutional Court moves forward with law suit filed this very week.against shrimp trawling.

The Costa Rican Fisheries Institute (Incopesca) and the Technical Secretariat of the Environment (Setena) 

have three days to respond.

Constitutional Court orders Incopesca and Setena to inform on lack of Environmental Impact Assessments 

to allow this activity.

Constitutional Court orders Incopesca to not grant any more shrimp trawl licenses.

San José, Costa Rica – May 30, 2012.  The Constitutional Court decided to move forward with the suit filed 

against shrimp trawling activities submitted by Non Government Organizations (NGOs) members of the 

“Frente Por los Mares” (Our Oceans Front).  The Court considers that this case is not only the competence 

of Incopesca, but also of Setena, because of which it granted both institutions a 3 day term to inform it on 

the terms presented in the suit.

The Constitutional Lawsuit against shrimp trawling was submitted last May 28, the objective of which is to 

forbid this type of fishing due to its irrefutable destructive nature.

“Our Oceans Front” denounces that Environmental Impact Assessments are not mandatory to carry out 

this activity, the negative effects of which have been widely demonstrated through scientific research.

As for right now, the group of NGOs is satisfied, but not too confident ye.  Thus, until the Court resolves,  

the Front will continue to inform the public on the impacts of shrimp trawling on the country’s marine 

resources.

About the “Our Oceans Front”

“Our Oceans Front” is a group of NGOs active in Costa Rica that work towards the improvement of the 

administration of marine resources through a series of legal, scientific, political and civil approaches. It 

promotes the reform of Incopesca in order for it to appropriately respond to the objectives for which it ws 

created:  the public interest and the sustainable use of fishery resources.

The nine NGOs, (Asociación Pretoma, Fundación Keto, Fundación MarViva, Fundación Promar, 

International Student Volunteers, Inc., Sea Save Foundation, The Leatherback Trust, UESPRA, Widecast), 

and concerned citizens who itegrate the Front, have experience in an array of fields, such as 

environmental education, research, conservation, and defense of the marine environment.