Apparently the arrest and (still) pending extradition proceedings of Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson is having an impact in Costa Rica: The Costa Rica start reports that a vessel containing, amongst other fish, 120 shark fins was just intercepted by the Costa Rican Coast Guard and the fins and vessel confiscated, the crew detained—with another ship containing 58 shark fins stopped two weeks ago.
As for the Sea Shepherd connection, a government special investigation that’s been kicking around since 2008 has been reviewed, with Watson’s arrest cited as bring about “a new focus” on the issue.
Shark fishing itself is legal in Costa Rica, but finning sharks is banned. However, the Coast Guard found no entire sharks aboard, something which gave them the authority to stop them as poachers.
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