| Remember last winter when it was too cold and nasty | | | | fishermen compared to 67,000 jobs from commercial |
| to go out? And last spring when it was too wet and | | | | fishing pursuing the same species as sportsmen. Since |
| nasty to go out? And summer when it's way too hot | | | | Costa Rica is a catch and release billfish country, sport |
| and nasty to go out? Maybe it's time for a great | | | | fishing, like ecotourism, is sustainable development. |
| getaway and one of those famous Costa Rica fishing | | | | How important is sport fishing to the country's |
| vacations. | | | | economy? Consider the effect if people couldn't fish |
| Blue water fishing is a big part of this country's tourism | | | | for marlin, sails, and other species. 40 percent of folks |
| industry. New research shows that North Americans | | | | who fished in Costa Rica reported that they would not |
| traveling there in 2008 to fish generated $599 million or | | | | have visited the country if they could not fish. Those |
| about 2 percent of Costa Rica's gross domestic | | | | anglers, some 116,000 visitors per year, contribute |
| product. | | | | about $135 million to it'seconomy. |
| Unquestionably, sportsmen and sportswomen play an | | | | For those considering Costa Rica vacations that |
| important part in wildlife conservation. From | | | | include fishing, there are two oceans from which to |
| preservation of American wetlands to growing | | | | choose and year-round angling opportunities. |
| awareness in Africa that animals are worth more alive | | | | By far the most popular coast for fishing is the Pacific. |
| than dead---and around the globe---the planet is slowly, | | | | Tropical weather, azure waters, steeped in history. |
| painfully learning that sustainability is more valuable than | | | | Along the southern coast, not far from the Panama |
| exploitation. | | | | border, lies the tiny wilderness of the Osa Peninsula, |
| In many ways, this small Latin American country has | | | | described by National Geographic as "the most |
| long been at the forefront of conservation. | | | | biologically diverse" place on the planet. Bounded to its |
| While countries from Brazil to Malaysia have been | | | | north is beautiful Drake Bay, named after Sir Frances |
| decimating their forests, Costa Rica has set aside a | | | | Drake, who landed in it about a decade before he |
| quarter of its lands for parks and preserves and today | | | | saved England and sank the mighty Spanish Armada. |
| has nearly 25% more forested areas than 30 years | | | | About an hour or so north of Drake Bay lie Manuel |
| ago. | | | | Antonio National Park, one of the nation's Seven |
| It created the world's largest Atlantic green sea turtle | | | | Natural Wonders, and Quepos, with perhaps the best |
| preserve at magnificent Tortuguero National Park | | | | blue water fishing in this fish-rich country, reportedly |
| where more than 130,000 vacationers now contribute | | | | discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1519. Remember him? |
| to the national economy. Indeed, ecotourism is now the | | | | He's the fellow famous for searching for the Fountain |
| fastest growing segment of the country's tourism | | | | of Youth. |
| business, at the same time preserving species | | | | Marlin and sailfish are the main attraction here but the |
| endangered around the globe and lifting communities | | | | waters have lots of other fish from which to choose: |
| out of poverty. The village of Tortuguero, for example, | | | | mahi mahi (dolphin), giant yellowfin tuna, wahoo, cubera, |
| describes its savior the "turtle that lays the golden egg." | | | | roosterfish, snapper, grouper, blue and rainbow runners, |
| As millions of Americans sit riveted in front of their | | | | snook, jacks, and mackerel. |
| TVs, horrified at the environmental disaster in its Gulf, | | | | On the other side of Costa Rica lies its Caribbean |
| that'll never happen in this tropical paradise because it | | | | coast, far less traveled and fished. There, close to |
| has never allowed offshore oil exploration. | | | | where Christopher Columbus came ashore in 1503 and |
| Which leads us back to Costa Rica fishing vacations. | | | | settled on the name "Costa Rica" you'll find |
| The research described above was conducted by | | | | extraordinary snook and Costa Rica tarpon fishing in |
| The Billfish Foundation, Southwick Associates, and the | | | | its rivers and estuaries as well as deep water fishing. |
| University of Costa Rica. It revealed than in 2008 | | | | Now, of course, you may not give a whit for |
| nearly 284,000 fishermen visited this fishing mecca. | | | | Columbus, de Leon, or Drake. In that case, think of |
| Indeed, it estimated that more than one in five tourists | | | | yourself as "Kilroy" when you drop your line in the |
| visited the country expressly to fish. | | | | deep blue waters: "Kilroy was here!" And so you will |
| Their economic impact overshadowed commercial | | | | be, too, but only if you take that long awaited Costa |
| fishing. Some 73,000 jobs resulted from sport | | | | Rica fishing vacation. Pura Vida! |