The pilot project applied marine spatial planning (MSP) techniques to fisheries management of large pelagic species, emphasizing tuna, which plays a key economic and ecological roles. The workshop brought together representatives from the Costa Rican Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute (INCOPESCA), the longline sector, and UNDP Costa Rica. SIRBAA, the Mexican organization that supported the design of the management plan, also participated. The goal was to evaluate the process of developing Costa Rica’s management plan for large pelagic, identify lessons learned, and highlight good practices with potential regional relevance.

Participants underlined the importance of trust and collaboration. Cooperation between INCOPESCA and the fishing sector was essential to access critical information.

Key lessons learned from the participants:

• Clarity and transparency: Communication must be continuous and effective to avoid misunderstandings.
• Defined procedures: Each stage of plan preparation requires clear steps, with adjustments communicated and agreed upon.
• Intermediate products: Drafts and partial results should be shared to avoid unrealistic expectations.
• Roles and responsibilities: All actors must internalize their commitments to ensure accountability.

Recommendations for the following route:

• Establish multisectoral communication mechanisms, involving artisanal and sport fishers, government, NGOs, and academia.
• Integrate all relevant fishing sectors into official registries, to strengthen fisheries’ governance.
• Ensure broad socialization of the management plan, so it can guide decision-making and public policy.
• Promote value-added opportunities for fishery products to benefit local producers.
• Align the plan with Costa Rica’s national fisheries and aquaculture development plan and explore regional linkages.
• Advance toward a participatory governance mechanism to secure sustainability.

This exercise was a learning space for Costa Rica and the wider region, that provided valuable insights for national and regional efforts to sustainably manage PACA LME´s marine resources.

About the project

Sustainable Pacific is a regional initiative implemented by the UNDP through its executing partner, WWF, and funded by the GEF. This project aims to strengthen the management of the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem (PACA LME) and unite the efforts and commitments of participating countries — Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia and Panama.

For more information, please contact Karla Pérez at kperez@wwfca.org  

Words by Karla Pérez. Photos by INCOPESCA.