Maritime Agency Services - Comercial and Sport Fishing in Costa Rica

Comercial and Sport Fishing is a very productive activity in Costa Rica. The inshore and offshore waters of Costa Rica are teaming with marine life such as giant schools of tuna and dolphin fish and good numbers of medium to big sized Marlin and Sailfish, which migrate throughout the season from the south to the north pacific waters of Costa Rica. This allows sport fishing enthusiasts to have a better shot of landing several good pieces in the couple of days.

Sermar Maritime Agency in Costa Rica provides Yacht tranport or Fishing Boat hauling services, handling every logistic event: from the booking of the mega-Yacht transport, loading at your nearest dock, delivery and unloading in Costa Rica, to the filing of temporary or permanent import of goods, sport fising license documentation and other to-do procedures for customs and/or maritime operations.

Sermar Maritime Agency in Costa Rica also services commercial fishing boats and/or fleets with everything from maintenance and provisions (food, fuel, oil, others) to emergency medical atention and all required import/export documentation.

Tuna Fishing: Requirements for national waters:

Fishing boat must have Annual Fishing Registry in Costa Rican waters. There are two forms of payment for the Registry:

1. Payment in December at $10, 00 per N.R.T. allows use during the following year.
2. Payment prior to immediate use at $20, 00 per N.R.T.
3. There will be a payment of $10 x T.R.N. at the time of registration, that goes the IATTC.

In order to obtain a Fishing License, the fishing boat must be gauged in Costa Rica by the Ministry of Transportation (MOPT) – maritime division. The fishing boat must arrive to Puerto Caldera, where MOPT officials will conduct an inspection and gauging process prior to issuing the corresponding Gauging Slip. Once a Costa Rican Gauging Certificate is issued, and the annual registry fees are paid for, the license may be purchased at $54,00 per N.R.T.

Documents required by the Costa Rican Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture (Incopesca):

* Certificate of Registration
* Certificate of Boat Characteristics signed by a legal representative from boating company.
* Authorization for SERMAR S.A. to apply for Registry and License before the Costa Rican Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture (Incopesca).
* Photocopy of passport from owner of boating company.
* Copy of certificate of participation from CIATT.
* Certificate from Captain (Fishing Technician), promising obedience to legislation passed by Costa Rican Government.

A Fishing License in Costa Rican waters is good for a natural 60-day period or for a full fishing trip before the 60th day.

You may obtain a free license once a year when arriving to Costa Rica with tuna from international waters, and delivering a minimum of 300 ton, or the total amount of tuna fished to local companies. You must have an updated Annual Fishing Registry as well.

You may obtain a 60-day renewal on a Fishing License purchased for 60 days when delivering a minimum of 300 ton, or the total amount fished to local companies within the time period allowed by the license. Consecutive unloading required when applying for renewal.

Permit to sail on national waters (fishing boats only):

The following information is required when sailing through Costa Rican waters:

Registration
Call sign
Length, Beam, Depth of hold
N.R.T.
G.R.T.
Depth: Bow and Stern
Speed
Port of Registry
Owner
Amount of fish in store*
Coordinate, date and time of arrival
Coordinate, date and time of departure

*It is very important to declare the amount of fish stored in anticipation of an inspection in high seas. Should more fished than declared be found, the amount in excess would be considered illegal fishing, and boat and crew would be strongly sanctioned.