Costa rica’s fuel subsidies inadvertently fund illegal fishing in protected marine sanctuaries

Costa Rica has built an international reputation as a leader in marine conservation, with pristine protected waters that serve as sanctuaries for manta rays, bottlenose dolphins, and countless other species. Yet the country’s own fuel subsidy policies are inadvertently bankrolling the destruction of these very ecosystems they’ve worked so hard to protect.

In April 2022, conservation officials witnessed this contradiction firsthand when a blue and white fishing vessel raced through the protected waters surrounding Isla San José at high speed. The boat’s powerful engine churned through the turquoise waters of the Guanacaste Conservation Area—a UNESCO World Heritage Site that should have been off-limits to commercial fishing. The three fishermen aboard were attempting to escape after illegally harvesting marine life from these supposedly protected waters.

This incident highlights a troubling pattern across Costa Rica’s marine protected areas. Government fuel subsidies, originally designed to support the fishing industry and keep fuel affordable for local communities, have created an unintended consequence: they’re making it economically viable for poachers to venture into protected waters where fishing is strictly prohibited. The subsidized fuel reduces operational costs enough that illegal fishing in these pristine areas becomes profitable, even with the risk of fines and prosecution.

The irony is striking—a nation celebrated worldwide for its environmental stewardship is inadvertently funding the very activities that threaten its marine biodiversity. This policy contradiction underscores the complex challenges countries face when economic support measures conflict with conservation goals, revealing how well-intentioned policies can sometimes undermine the environmental protections they’re meant to support.