Tourism is Costa Rica’s top industry and new research shows North Americans traveling there in 2008 to fish generated $599 million – or about two percent of Costa Rica’s gross domestic product.

The study, conducted in 2009 by The Billfish Foundation, Southwick Associates and the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), revealed 283,790 anglers visited Costa Rica and their economic impact even overshadowed commercial fishing. It was estimated 22 percent of those tourists visited the country for the exclusive purpose of fishing.

From that $599 million the study also showed sportfishing generated almost $78 million in tax revenues for Costa Rica and 63,000 jobs. In comparison, the effect of commercial fishing for the same species sought by anglers generated approximately $528 million to Costa Rica’s gross domestic product. Commercial fishing contributed $68.6 million in tax revenue and created 57,000 jobs.

“We have already had the opportunity to present the results of this study to the incoming vice president and minister of tourism,” said Ellen Peel, president of The Billfish Foundation. “And we will be making a formal presentation to a wider cross sector of government and business leaders this summer. The leadership in Costa Rica had no idea that their country receives more benefits from a sustainable recreational harvest than from the subsidized excessive effort in the commercial fishery.”

The comprehensive study included interviewing tourists at Costa Rica’s major airports to estimate the percentage who fished while visiting. The research focused on the expenditures and economic impacts of marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dorado; species that are the most frequent targets of commercial fisherman and recreational anglers.

It was estimated the 283,790 North Americans visiting Costa Rica in 2008 spent a total of $467 million. The survey revealed $329 million was spent on travel including lodging ($119 million), restaurants ($15.6 million), flights and fishing guides ($88 million) and land transportation ($6 million). These dollars then change hands multiple times in Costa Rica, creating significant benefits for the nation’s gross domestic product. In addition, visitors spent approximately $105 million outside of Costa Rica prior to arrival for airfare or other travel expenses, though these dollars are not included in the economic analyses.

About 3,700 of those visiting Costa Rica have their own boats in the country, whether permanently or temporarily, and they spent approximately $138 million for items such as fuel ($45.6 million), maintenance and repairs ($25 million), furniture and accessories for their vessels ($48 million), staff and crews ($2.8 million), marina fees ($16.6 million), and taxes and insurance ($1.8 million).

“TBF believes that only when decision makers understand the economic importance of good fishing opportunities for tourist anglers will billfish conservation get on the radar screen of government leaders charged with economic development as well as fisheries management,“ said Dr. Russell Nelson chief scientist for TBF. “And now thanks to the dedication of TBF members and generous donors who have supported our socio-economic research, we are making the point.”

Additional work conducted in the U.S. by Southwick Associates, Inc. estimated 7.5 million Americans fished outside of their country in 2009 with 3.6 percent of them traveling to Costa Rica. Among anglers vacationing in Costa Rica, 40 percent said they would not have visited the country if they could not fish. Those anglers, who represent 116,000 visitors per year and about $135 million in tourism income for Costa Rica, said the main factor in determining their satisfaction is “quality of fishing” followed by “relative peace and quiet,” and “fishing services, boat and crew quality.” The majority of anglers reported they visited Costa Rica to catch billfish including sailfish, marlin along with dorado. Inshore species such as snook and tarpon were less frequent targets.

“This was the first study done in Central America that compares the economic contributions of recreational and commercial fishing for the same species,” said Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, who coordinated design and methodology, management and monitoring of this research and generated information regarding U.S. anglers’ international travel activities. “We’ve completed similar work for Los Cabos, Mexico, and the results produced almost immediate benefits to fisheries management and conservation.”

That study found the Los Cabos area benefited by $1.1 billion to the economy.

Based on the success of socio-economic research in Mexico and Costa Rica, TBF already has entered into discussions with the new administration in Panama to conduct similar studies in that country.

Complete reports are available at: www.billfish.org

Source: InsideCostaRica

6-17 Finds Ron Pearson on board Sunny One today, and docks later after hooking up 2 Yellow Fin Tuna and 1 fine Snapper….

6-18 Up next we have Valerie Minnick trying her angeling skills and has a great day returning after releasing 1 Sailfish and hooking up 3 Wahoo and 2 Yellowfin tuna..

6-19 Today Valerie returns for more and steams in after hooking up 3 Cabrillas…

6-20 Aboard Sunny One today we have the one and only El Jefe ,the Big Kahuna, Stay in Costa Ricas founding father and our our Fearless Leader. Mr. Larry Savage who later docks after a nice day showing 10 Cabrillas and 4 Snappers Okeydokey Lar…..

6-23 Heading out this fine morning Aron Elbe calls the shots and slams it with 1 Yellowfin Tuna 1 Sailfish and 8 Whooping Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6-24 Simon Duquesnay heads out and returns after hooking up a nice Snapper for dinner….

6-25 The John Morrow group joins Sunny One today and steams back into the dock with 1 Wahoo and 1 Yellowfin Tuna aboard…..

June turned out to be a fine month for Sportfishing from the Los Suenos Marina!!!!! As always, thanks to all you anglers who shared your fishing adventures with us aboard Sunny One. Keep in touch for the best deals in Costa Rica on Luxury Villas and Condos……

Until next time……… No bananas on board………
Cathem Up Salty dog

6-8-10 Today we find Karen Arnold on board Sunny One and hit the docks in the afternoon after a fine day hooking up 6 Yellow Fin Tuna.

6-9-10 Joining Sunny and crew is Frank ONeill returns after releasing 3 sailfish and 2 Dinner Dorado..

6-16-10 On board with us today we find David Ramson he could upon up a Starkissed franchaise after hooking up 10 awesome Yellow Fin Tuna and 1 Dorado.

Thats going to do it for now, keep up to date on our web for the latest deals and best prices on condos and Luxury Villas in Costa Rica……… Happy Dads Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Catchem up Salty Dog

5-11 Karen Burks joins sunny today and docks after releasing 1 Marlin

5-12 Today with Jim Emery on board they score 1 Sailfish and 2 dinner Dorado

5-14 David Bryce is our angler today and docks after hooking up 2 Dorado and releasing 2 Sails

5-15 David joins us for another day and docks after releasing 2 Sails and 1 Marlin nice!!!!!!!!!!

5-18 Gabriela Baudrit a local Costa Rican (Tica) sets out and returns after a great day releasing 3 Sails and 2 Marlin…..

5-20 Ron Pearson tries out his angeling skills on Sunny One today and steams in after hooking up 4 nice Grouper…

5-21 Skip Jamison is aboard Sunny today and is not disappointed hooking and releasing 2 Marlin

5-23 Mr. Skip comes aboard again and slams it another day releasing 2 Sails and 1 Marlin.

5-25 Chris Criner joins Sunny One and docks on a fine afternoon after hooking up and releasing 3 Sailfish and 1Marlin…..

Wow its a veritable Marlin fest…. So whataya say all you Alpha males out there, come on down and burn off all that extra testestrone…. The prices could not be any better in fact its probably more expensive to stay at home!!!!! So check out our web for all the latest deals,,, and we will see you soon

As always thanks to all our anglers, until next time……………………….. Catchem up Your friend in Costa rica Salty dog

Goooooooood fishing Costa Rica!!!!!!!!!! Well back down at the world famous Los Sueños Marina, Captain Walton fills us in on the latest goings on with Sunny One……….

4-29 Mr. Ellis Ramsay joins Sunny One today and steams back in after releasing 3 Sailfish

4-30 Today Tom Dahl is aboard Sunny and has a nice day docking after boarding 4 fine Cubera Snappers.

5-1 Aboard once more is Ellis Ramsay and docks later in the afternoon after releasing 6 Sails and 1 Marlin…

Well that will wrap it up for now… Sunny Ones been running hard and steady for the last several months.. so shes in dry dock for a few days getting some belly paint and general sprucing up.. She will be back out real soon………. so until then keep posted on our Web for great deals on Condos and luxury Villas….

Back soon with more lies,tall tales and generally useless info…..

Catchem Up

Salty Dog

Gooooooooooooood fishing Costa Rica!!!!!

Heading down to the World Class Los Sueños Marina, we’re starting to see a little rain, but not to bad… Lets check in and see how Captain Walton on Sunny One are doing and away we go………

4-23 Our buddy Dan Ross returns and steams in later after hooking up 2 Dinner Dorados.

4-26 Today we find Lisle Head joining Sunny One and docks in the afternoon after releasing 3 Sailfish and 1 fine Yellowfin Tuna.

4-27 Up next Miles McDaniel boards Sunny and has a fine day hooking and releasing 5 Sailfish.

4-28 Angeling today we have Mr. Tom Dahl who returns with a definite popeye arm after a great day releasing an impressive 18 Sails Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That will almost wrap up April….Until next time, keep update to date and checking our Web to see what’s up with some of the best sportfishing in the world, and the best prices on luxury villas and condos in Costa Rica…

Until next time……… No bananas on board!!!!!!!!!!!!

Catchem Up Salty Dog

Gooooooooood fishing Costa Rica!!!!!!!!! Back down at the beautifull Los Suenos Marina on a Sunny day, lets check in with Captain Walton and crew to see what theyve been bringing up from the “Briny deep”……

4-14 Today Bruce Wilson boards Sunny One and docks with 6 Snappers…….

4-15 Finds Mr. Micheal Landman angeling today and returns after releasing 1 fighting Sailfish.

4-17 Rich Resinbeck joins the crew of Sunny One and docks after hooking up and releasing 1 Sail.

4-19 Finds owners of the beautifull Villa Oasis aboard and has a great day returning after releasing 1 Sailfish, 1 dinner Dorado and 1 Wahoo………

4-20 The Oasis gang joins us again today and docks after releasing 3 Sails and 1 fine Dorado….

As always thanks to all anglers who joined us on Sunny One, Keep updated on our Web… We should be coming up with more good deals as always… Hey its time to start thinking about Mothers Day ( May 9th) and Fathers Day ( June 20th) The family that fishes together……….. are coooool.

Give your kids a hug and kiss…… its free!!!!!!!!!!

Until next time Catchem Up Salty Dog

This made him winners of one of six Goldman Environmental Prize being presented today in San Francisco. The prize, the largest for grass-roots activists in the world, comes with a $150,000 check for each of six recipients, one for each inhabited continent.

Stopping shark cruelty

Arauz began as a sea turtle biologist who helped found the Association for the Restoration of Sea Turtles. But in investigating the fishing practices associated with turtle deaths, he realized a larger problem in his nation was Taiwanese fishing boats coming to Costa Rican waters to fish for sharks. “They hack the fins off, then throw the still-living shark overboard,” Arauz says.

He has been fighting a legal battle for three years to force these foreign fishing fleets to follow Costa Rican law, which requires that sharks caught in the country have their fins attached.

Finning, which feeds a growing Asian appetite for sharks’ fin soup, is unsustainable and cruel but unregulated in many places, Arauz says. “The flesh of the shark is only worth 50 cents a pound, whereas the fins are worth $60 to $70 a pound, so to fishermen, the limiting factor is the space in their hold. If they hack the fins off and only bring the fins, they can capture more.”

He says he’ll use the Goldman prize money to get off-road vehicles so the staff can get down to beaches where sea turtles lay their eggs.

Source: USA TODAY  Read Full Article Click here
Learn more about the Goldman prize. Click here

	By Will Parrinello
Randall Arauz of Costa Rica fought against fishermen who cut off sharks’ fins and then throw the sharks back.

3-23 Finds Robert Tobeck on board Sunny One and docks with 2 Sails released 1 Dorado and a fine Snapper

3-25 Mr. Terry Harris joins us on Sunny and has a fine day with 1 Sail 1 Marlin 1 Yellow fin Tuna and a whopping Wahoo…

3-26 Today we have Christian Bond angeling with us and docks with an impressive 5 Sails released 1 Marlin and 1 Dinner Dorado nice……………..

3-27 Mr. Terry Harris hits it again with Sunny One and returnes after releasing 6 Sails and boarding 1 Yellow Fin Tuna

3-28 Finds Eddie Dalidowicz steaming out and later docks with 4 Sails released and 1 Dorado…

Thats a fine closeout to March , as always thanks to all our anglers and guests who chose Sunny One and always keep posted on our Web for great deals and remember if you find yourself here on Easter Week finding a beer on Thurs or Friday is like locating a palm tree on the Polar Ice Cap…..But not to worry, Here at SICR we have a beer fairy in captivity….. and never run short of GROG…. or good times and great memories

See you soon…. Your friend in Costa Rica

Salty Dog