Location:
Pacific Northwest of Costa Rica, Gulf of Papagayo.
Area:
The Marine Sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) covers 43,000 hectares.
Vegetation:
Santa Elena Peninsula Coastal Forests. Photo L.CapelliThe primary vegetation type in the Marine Sector is Tropical Dry Forest with species such as frangipani (Plumeria rubra), quebracho (Lysiloma auritum) whose unripe fruits are food for parrots and pochote (Bombacopsis quinata), which is only found on San José Island.
A species of shrub, Amphipterygium adstringens, is only found on these islands. Cabuya and some species of grasses are common here as well.
Climate:
The Marine Sector is in the North Pacific of Costa Rica where the dry season lasts from mid-November to mid-May and the region is affected by the trade winds (mainly from December to March) with ocean temperatures dipping down to 16°C in deeper waters and surface temperatures around 28°C. From mid-May to mid-November is the rainy season with water heavy clouds coming off the Pacific Ocean.
Ecology:
The Marine Sector of the ACG is classified internationally as:
Realm: Tropical Eastern Pacific.
Province: Tropical East Pacific.
Ecoregion: Chiapas-Nicaragua.
Marine Ecological Unit: Papagayo.
Marine systems are differentiated by a combination of salinity, geological forms, and depth.
Olive ridley sea turtles and a bull shark. Photo C.Paoli
Marine environments are defined by associations between different species and their interaction with surrounding environmental factors from the ocean floor to the intertidal zone. Pelagic fauna (tuna, sharks, sea turtles and cetaceans, for example) move vertically and horizontally in the water column as opposed to the associations that interact mostly with the ocean floor (benthic fauna), which include sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, tunicates, and marine algae, for example. These components of the water column and the ocean floor interact with a third component, geology.
There are accounts of coral communities and reefs in the Marine Sector, some of which are unique to the Eastern Pacific, as well as those called octocorals (sea fans and sea rods). True coral reefs are also found here such as those made by the Pocillopora genus. Unfortunately, research indicates that these coral communities are being seriously affected by human activity, global warming and by the impact of the emergence of unusually cold waters.
Many fish species can be spotted here such as sail fish, marlin, shark, mackerel, tuna, manta ray and smaller species such as the pacific cownose ray and eagle ray as well as marine mammals such as dolphins and, depending on the month, whales, especially humpback whales, can be found. The area is frequented by sea turtles such as the olive ridley, pacific green, leatherback and hawksbill. The hawksbill sea turtle is one of the most threatened species.
Geology:
The geology of the area is made up of Jurassic-Cretaceous basalts, radiolarites and polymictic breccias. The islands are ~109,000 to 2 million years old and are aligned east to west.
The Marine Sector extends 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) into the ocean in front of Naranjo Beach, Nancite Beach and Varas Point. The other section extends to the northeast for 3.24 nautical miles or 6 kilometers into the ocean following the coastline.
Geology of Santa Elena Map
General Description:
Because of how it is geographically situated, the Área de Conservación Guanacaste is located close to the Nicaraguan border, which creates a "frontier area" dynamic in the entire zone.
The Research and Vigilance Station of the Marine Sector is located on San José Island in the Murciélago Archipelago (the only archipelago in Costa Rica) and serves as a base of operations for the Marine Sector staff who realize many different tasks all of which are geared toward biodiversity conservation. Control and enforcement activities in the Marine Sector are fundamental and complement other activities taking place in the ACG such as research, biological education, ecotourism, etc.
Estación Isla San José, Sector Marino ACG. Foto F MatarritaIn the last few years, the ACG's conservation actions have focused on increasing the importance of marine issues within the institution including the development of the "Estrategia para el Ordenamiento de las Acciones de Conservación y Manejo en las 43.000 hectáreas del Sector Marino Protegido del Área de Conservación Guanacaste" ("Strategy for the Prioritization of Conservation Actions and Management in the 43,000 hectar Protected Marine Sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste") whose mission is to ensure that "the Protected Marine Sector's marine and coastal biodiversity and its associated ecosystems are conserved and managed efficiently ensuring its existence into perpetuity and that the environmental sensitivity of its neighbors and visitors contributes to its conservation and development."
The administration and management of the Marine Sector facilitates the protection and restoration of the marine ecosystem naturally generating the conditions necessary to ensure permanent restoration and conservation.
The Marine Sector is a source of financial opportunities to people in neighboring communities who are interested in developing or increasing existing economic activities compatible with environmental conservation. As the area recuperates from the strong impacts of overfishing and other negative anthropic activities, it is converting into a "nursery" or "source" of dispersion/colonization of species (fish, lobsters, mollusks, larvae, etc.) to other areas in the region which have suffered a reduction in biodiversity.
Humpback Whale in Junquillal Bay. Photo F. ChavarríaThis protected Sector welcomes visitors (following existing regulations) who wish to participate in recreational dives located around the Murciélago Archipelago. Divers can observe many interesting species including the famous bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas). Other popular species found here at different times of the year are schools of mackerel, manta rays, whales and dolphins.
Visitors looking to surf are also permitted to use those areas designated for this activity and following existing regulations.
San José Island has the only camping area within the Marine Sector and has minimal facilities. Visitors must inform the administration prior to their arrival to coordinate their stay.
"Marine protected areas" such as the Marine Sector of the ACG are threatened by many factors among which are the following:
- Agrochemicals and solid waste.
- Fecal contamination.
- Hydrocarbons.
- Heavy metals.
- Sedimentation.
- Plastic and other types of trash.
- Coastal construction.
- Fishing.
- Unplanned and uncontrolled tourism.
- Climate change.
This list should also include the threat represented by invasive species such as plants (the Caulerpa marine green algae, for example and other terrestrial plants) and animals (the gray rat, for example) which represent a danger to marine ecology and islands worldwide. Man is responsible for transporting many of these species to islands.
Visitation requirements:
All visitors interested in camping, surfing, diving, or observation activities should send a visitation request to the administration with the following information: date, reason for visit, names of the visitors including the boat captain and crew, and name of the boat and its registration number. Once this basic information is received the administration will decide if they can accommodate the visitors' needs and if so will authorize the visit and send more information about the Marine Sector. Visitors are required to use experienced boat captains with proper documentation and valid insurance coverage.
Regulations:
All regulations of Costa Rica's protected areas apply to the use of the Marine Sector including prohibition of the extraction of minerals and archaeological artifacts, fishing of any kind, as well as the extraction in whole or part of any animals or plants.
Public areas include the camping area and the section of the beach located in front of the Research and Vigilance Station on San José Island.
Surfing is regulated by Degree No. 32442 of the Regulation of Surfing in Santa Rosa National Park.
Recreational diving is only permitted in the following places:
The "Gran Susto" (the big scare) off San Pedrillo Island
"Los Arcos" (the arches) off Santa Elena Cape
"Bajo Negro" (black rock).
Tiburón Toro. Foto C. Paoli
Divers are expected to employ good diving practices.
The area for anchoring is located in front of the station on San José Island. There are no other authorized anchoring sites.
Entry into the Marine Sector requires paying an admission fee. Visitors without a payed ticket will be "asked to leave" by ACG staff.
Access to potable water is very limited and restricted to the necessities of the administration area, therefore, all visitors, without exception, must bring all the water they will need during their entire stay.
Pets are not allowed in the Marine Sector.
The following table displays the coordinates of the limits of the Marine Sector of the ACG:
| Coordinate No. | Longitude West | Latitude North | Coordinate No. | Longitude West | Latitude North |
| 01 | 10º 53´28.2´´ | 085º57´00.9´´ | 11 | 10º 39´47.8´´ | 085º51´11.2´´ |
| 02 | 10º 52´09.1´´ | 085º57´02.5´´ | 12 | 10º 39´53.3´´ | 085º50´51.5´´ |
| 03 | 10º 51´04.5´´ | 085º57´02.5´´ | 13 | 10º 39´24.8´´ | 085º50´15.8´´ |
| 04 | 10º 50´20.6´´ | 085º59´19.8´´ | 14 | 10º 39´38.9´´ | 085º49´46.7´´ |
| 05 | 10º 48´18.9´´ | 085º58´10.6´´ | 15 | 10º 37´36.8´´ | 085º48´11.1´´ |
| 06 | 10º 48´18.9´´ | 085º52´44.4´´ | 16 | 10º 36´58.7´´ | 085º48´00.1´´ |
| 07 | 10º 46´05.3´´ | 085º49´09.0´´ | 17 | 10º 36´16.8´´ | 085º48´18.6´´ |
| 08 | 10º 45´01.9´´ | 085º46´44.4´´ | 18 | 10º 35´56.6´´ | 085º48´21.8´´ |
| 09 | 10º 40´06.7´´ | 085º51´39.7´´ | 19 | 10º 35´35.3´´ | 085º48´16.6´´ |
| 10 | 10º 40´06.7´´ | 085º51´28.5´´ | 20 | 10º 44´07.0´´ | 085º39´44.5´´ |
Interesting Facts:
Archipelago: the Murciélago Archipelago is the only archipelago in Costa Rica.
Papagayo Upwelling: an upwelling that occurs in the dry season when trade winds from the north cause cold water from deeper in the ocean to replaces warmer surface water, bringing nutrients from the deeper waters to the surface and increasing primary productivity.
Fossil Dunes: researchers have discovered fossil dunes from the Upper Pleistocene dated between 16,000 and 17,000 years before the present. Coastal dunes are still actively forming on San José Island.
Getting There:
There are several routes to the Marine Sector. The most common are from the following beach towns: Cuajiniquil, Coco Beach, Hermosa Beach and Flamingo.
Information:
Contact numbers during business hours: Santa Rosa Sector (506) 2666-5051 ext. 238, fax: (506) 2666-5020, and in the Marine Sector office in Coco Beach tel/fax: (506) 2670-0513.
Contact number for the Liberia office during business hours: 2666-4740 / 2666-0630, fax 2 666-3101.
Email: marinoacg@acguanacaste.ac.cr
Apartado 169-5000
Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
