When it comes to fires, search and rescue, protecting life and property and when disasters strikes there is no public and volunteer respectable service as a cities or nations Fire Departments. So when Costa Rica’s Finance minister, Fernando Herrero Acosta proposed a new tax plan this week to allocates a percentage of tax money for Education, social programs, security and justice for a total of 68 percent and administration increased expenses for 2,900 school teachers, 300 police officers and 200 prison guards, it was disturbing that no money was set aside for Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica or Costa Rica’s Fire Department.
Last October, a legislative proposal filed estimated that the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica would run out of money in three years. Since, the fire department is looking for more funds keep their current operation going and to build more fire stations throughout the country.
This is what I found most disturbing, according to their website, there are “ONLY” 12 fire stations in Alajuela, 5 stations in Cartago, 9 stations in Guanacaste, 4 stations in Heredia, 4 stations in Limon, 11 stations in all of Puntarenas, and 13 in San Jose where most are located in and around the city. Read more... (717 words, 3 images, estimated 2:52 mins reading time)
A recent research study by scientists and fishery experts working in the western north Atlantic and eastern tropical Atlantic revealed that billfish and other finfish are becoming more vulnerable to overfishing as “dead zones,” scientifically known as hypoxic zones, expand and shoal closer to the sea surface. This graphic using dissolved oxygen (DO) data from the World Ocean Atlas shows the depleted levels of DO at 100 meters depths off Africa and the Americas. The black and red colors indicate depressed levels of DO at or below 3.5 milliliters per liter (see scale). The study was composed of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and The Billfish Foundation. Billfish and other marine species become more susceptible to overfishing because they are "compressed" into oxygen rich waters at the ocean’s surface where they are easier to catch, while avoiding waters low in oxygen below the thermocline. Image courtesy of the Journal of Fisheries Oceanography
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. USA. – With the New Year comes new challenges to fish in our world’s oceans and one of the major concerns is the expansion of hypoxic zones. That’s the scientific name but more recreational anglers are becoming aware of them as “dead zones.” Read more... (807 words, 2 images, estimated 3:14 mins reading time)
Commercial longlining ships like this Panamanian vessel photographed off Panama will now be banned in the waters of the Central American nation, from setting hundreds of baited hooks to its lines which attract by catch species like billfish, turtles and sharks. The recent presidential decree is a huge triumph for conservation, recreational catch-and-release sportfishing efforts and for the socio-economy of the region. (Photo courtesy of Elliott Stark, The Billfish Foundation)
PANAMA CITY, Panama and FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., USA – After banning
commercial purse seining from its waters in July, the Republic of Panama has taken further steps adding restrictions on longlining for the conservation of its marine life and its socio-economic growth.
In letters to Panamanian officials, Ellen Peel, President of The Billfish Foundation and Chris Fischer founder of OCEARCH, applauded the government for becoming the first of the seven Central America nations to restrict pelagic longline gear within its waters.
The practice of commercial longlining in the region uses hundreds of baited hooks attached to short lengths of line spaced at intervals to main lines. The longliners target swordfish and tuna, but also hook bycatch species including sharks, turtles and recreational billfish like marlin and sailfish. Read more... (700 words, 1 image, estimated 2:48 mins reading time)
Tobias Bolaños Airport in Costa Rica
Most tourist think that Costa Rica has just two international airports, Juan Santamaria International Airport and Liberia’s, Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport - thats not so.
Tobias Bolaños International Airport in Pavas, San Jose is getting known as a private hub for the rich and famous, main airport for various activities of the industry and for its domestic and international small chartered flights from places like Nicaragua, Granada and Panama. Since it is only a few miles from the US Embassy in Pavas it is regularly visited by diplomats.
The airport on the good side is very modern. It has passenger terminals for local and international flights, a high tech control tower that was recently updated, 96 hangers, fuel and oil services, and it maintains the services for many government agencies like, AIS, Airport Police, customs, meteorology, drug control, intelligence and security and MAG. It also is the hub for private businesses like, Natural Air, corporate, and various eco-tours charters. Schools for aviation mechanics and for airplanes and helicopter pilots are also conducted on the facilities. Read more... (727 words, 3 images, estimated 2:54 mins reading time)
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