. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/75 
11 June 2009  
 (09-2816) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Notifying Member:  COSTA RICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:  Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura , INCOPESCA (Costa 
Rican Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Fishery products intended for dom estic and international trade 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners, or 
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document:  Procedimiento para la D escarga de Tiburones por 
Embarcaciones Pesqueras Nacionales y Extranjeras en el Territorio Nacional (Procedure 
for the landing of sharks by local and foreign fishing vessels in Costa Rican national territory), published in Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 241 (Insert 52) of 
12 December 2008). 
Text available online at: 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2009/sps/CRI/09_2001_00_s.pdf
 
Language:  Spanish  Number of pages:  3  
6. Description of content:  The notified text establishes the procedure for the landing of 
sharks in Costa Rican national territory by fish ing vessels of all flags.  It provides that the 
landing of sharks in Costa Rica will only be au thorized when each shark is landed with its 
fins attached naturally. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [ ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.  
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM N°)  
[X] None G/SPS/N/CRI/75 
Page 2  
 
  Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
 [ ] Yes [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:  
• Ley 8436 de Pesca y Acuicultura  (Fisheries and Aquaculture Law No. 8436) of 
10 February 2005, Article 99 of which provides that anyone engaged in the 
marketing or processing of marine, fish ery and aquaculture resources shall be 
subject to the related marketing, health, quality and inspection standards set by the 
competent authorities. 
• Decreto Nº 34928-MAG sobre Procedimient o para la Descarga de Tiburones por 
Embarcaciones Pesqueras Nacionales y Extranjeras en el Territorio Nacional (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 territory), published in Official Journal La Gaceta No. 241 of 12 December 2008 
(3 pages, in Spanish).  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Upon publication in the Official Journal, 
La Gaceta  
Propose date of publication ( dd/mm/yy) :  
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  12 December 2008 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or ( dd/mm/yy ):  Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
13. Texts available from:  [ X] National Notification Authority, [ X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería 
Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado y Se rvicio Nacional de Salud Animal 
Centro de Información y Notificación en  Medidas Sanitarias y Fitosanitarias 
Apartado Postal 70-3006 Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica 
Tel.: +(506) 2260-8300, Ext. 2065 
Fax: +(506) 2262-7831 E-mail: notificaciones@protecnet.go.cr