/.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CRI/90 
18 May 2009 
 (09-2425) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   COSTA RICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio , MEIC (Ministry of the Economy, Industry 
and Trade) 
Dirección de Mejora Regulatoria y Reglamentación Técnica  (Regulatory Improvement and 
Technical Regulation Directorate) Tel.: +(506) 2235-2700, ext. 264, or +(506) 2297-1439 
Name and address (including telephone  and fax numbers, E-mail and website 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:  
TBT Enquiry Point 
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade, MEIC Apartado Postal 10216-1000, San José Tel.:  +(506) 2235-2700, ext. 264 Fax:  +(506) 2297-1439 
E-mail:  crotc@meic.go.cr 
Website: http:// www.reglatec.go.cr
 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ ], 2.10.1  [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:   Transparency.  
The notified Decree regulates the landing by lo cal and foreign fishing vessels of sharks 
with fins attached (i.e. fishing regulations).  It does not regulate trade in sharks or parts 
thereof, rather fishing in maritime zones.  This measure, which is designed to protect the 
species and to conserve marine nature, fa lls under the international recommendations set 
forth in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO), as adopted by Cost a Rica (pursuant to Executive Decree ( Decreto 
Ejecutivo ) No. 27919-MAG of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock) and by the 
International Union for Conservation of Nature (with the adoption of the Global Policy 
Against Shark Finning ).  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Procedure for the 
landing of sharks G/TBT/N/CRI/90 
Page 2  
 
  5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Procedimiento para 
la descarga de tiburones por embarcaciones pesqueras nacionales y extranjeras en 
territorio nacional (decreto N° 34928-MAG) (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock 
Decree No. 34928-MAG:  Procedure for the landing of sharks by local and foreign fishing vessels in Costa Rican national terr itory) (3 pages, in Spanish). 
6. Description of content:   The notified text establishes the procedure for the landing of 
sharks in Costa Rican national territory by lo cal and foreign fishing vessels of all flags.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
Environmental protection.  
8. Relevant documents:  
1. Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries  of the Food and Agriculture 
Organization of the United Nations (FAO); 
2. Resolution CGR4.MOT035:  Global Policy Against Shark Finning , International 
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 
9. Proposed date of adoption: 
Proposed date of entry into force:  } 12 December 2008  
10. Final date for comments:   Not applicable 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, E-mail and website addresses,  if available, of other body: 
WTO TBT Enquiry Point 
San José, Costa Rica 
Tel.:  (+506) 2235-2700, ext. 264 
Fax:  (+506) 2297-1439 E-mail: crotc@meic.go.cr
 
Website: http://www.reglatec.go.cr  
 
The full text of the Regulation is available at: 
http://historico.gaceta.go.cr/pub/2008 /12/12/ALCA52_12_12_20 08.html#_Toc216756917  
and 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2009/tbt/CRI/09_1699_00_s.pdf