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This report was contributed by IGFA Representative Gary Carter, owner of the Silver-Rod-O.
On Sunday, August 1, 2010, at approximately 3:00 pm, while fishing less than 20 miles offshore of Garza Costa Rica, the US-flagged sport fishing vessel Silver-Rod-O was attacked by the Venezuelan tuna seiner, La Rosa Mistica. The Silver-Rod-O was fishing around a school of spinner dolphin for yellowfin tuna and billfish, when the helicopter from La Rosa Mistica began circling the area.
“We were celebrating one of our guest's first-ever sailfish release when the seiner veered from its course and headed directly toward our boat. The helicopter then began making passes over us as it circled the dolphin school. As the seiner came closer and began setting its net, the helicopter started dropping incendiary devices around us and the school of spinners. Several landed within 50 meters of our boat and smoke billowed from the water in all directions. We were determined to continue fishing the area and not yield our position, but the seiner headed straight toward us, threatening to either encircle us in their net or be plowed into the sea unless we abandoned the school of dolphin. Rather than endanger our guests, we retreated and watched and listened as the La Rosa Mistica closed the net and its crew obnoxiously celebrated its victory.
What makes this most concerning is that this is certainly not the first encounter of its type in Costa Rican waters. The La Rosa Mistica is Venezuelan and is one of the several tuna seiners reportedly owned by Hugo Chevez. It was not flying a flag, except for the US flag painted on the side of its helicopter. ”
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