PACIFICO
As part of the Pacifico Foundation we mobilize financial resources to ensure the sustainable management of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (PET). The Foundation is comprised of 4 environmental funds:
- Patrimonio Natural (Colombia)
- Fondo Acción (Colombia)
- Fundación Natura (Panama)
- Forever Costa Rica. (Costa Rica)
Pacifico Foundation works in partnership with the governments of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica, the Marine Corridor of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (CMAR), MigraMar and other organizations in the region.
Importance of the Eastern Tropical Pacific
The Eastern Tropical Pacific is a highly biodiverse and productive marine corridor that includes Cocos Island (Costa Rica), the Galapagos Archipelago (Ecuador), Coiba Island (Panama), Malpelo Island and Gorgona Islands (Colombia).
There are underwater mountain ranges in the PET that marine fauna uses as underwater biological corridors, also known as swimways, linking the oceanic islands and protected areas to each other.
Pacifico Foundation brings together the efforts of four member funds for the conservation of migratory marine species such as sharks and rays, sea turtles, whales, and dolphins.
PET covers the national waters of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, and measures approximately 2 million square kilometers.
Regional conservation
As part of Pacifico Foundation we contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Achievements 2021
Swimways Protection
During 2021, the second expedition between Cocos Island and the Galapagos archipelago was carried out with scientific staff and officials to gather scientific information to support the protection of Eastern Tropical Pacific swimways.
Forever Costa Rica also worked with CMAR and the Ministries of Environment of Colombia and Panama to agree on joint actions for the integral conservation of the Coiba-Malpelo Swimway, including technical support and coordination between the two countries.
Support provided by Pacifico in recent years paid off during COP26 in Glasgow, where the presidents of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama signed the “Declaration for the conservation and management of the ecosystems in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor comprised by Cocos-Galapagos-Malpelo-Coiba Swimways”.
In November 2021, Pacifico supported a workshop with representatives from the Ministries of Environment of the four countries, CMAR, UNESCO, MigraMar and the member funds, which provided the implementation roadmap for the presidential declaration.
Control and surveillance
As part of the control and surveillance efforts in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, in 2021 Pacifico supported the “Regional analysis of the risks associated with illegal fishing in the Pacific of Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama”, in conjunction with the International Maritime Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network.
This report provided inputs to fisheries and environmental authorities in the three countries to take actions at both the national and regional levels.
The research was supported by the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA); the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama; and the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries of Ecuador, with the leadership of the organization Ocean Mind.
Pacifico Foundation
