Faced with the growing demand for marlin and sailfish for gastronomic fairs and consumption, the Costa Rican Fisheries Federation (FECOP) calls for the protection of these species from overexploitation.
According to the FECOP, a number of scientific evidence shows that the benefits are greater if these types of fish remain at sea.
The economic value of these species for commercial fishing is very low, compared to others, but its value for sport fishing is much higher,”
explained Carlos Salas, executive director of the Federation.
The meat of marlin fish and sailfish has less commercial value than the one of the yellow fin tuna, for example. And, from the nutritional point of view, according to their data, it has less nutritional properties than other options like salmon, trout and sardine.
Likewise, the contribution of sport-tourism fishing to the country is higher than the contribution of commercial fishing, which also generates more jobs.
Thus, we highlights the need to establish management measures that promote the conservation, sustainable and equitable use of this resource,”
said Salas.