Two silky sharks and 30 pig fish were found by Cocos Island rangers entangled in an illegal fishing device five nautical miles from the island.
The fishing gear used is known as Fish Aggregating Device (DAP for its acronym in Spanish), which is used to add fish and capture them in large quantities. The device must have been there for several months.
According to Geiner Golfín, marine biologist and park ranger, the DAPs are used in artisanal and industrial fishing that attract and group fish due to their behavior, since they naturally tend to congregate under floating objects in the sea.
The devices are made of materials such as bamboo and natural fibers. However, they may have other components such as metals or tires. These types of devices are illegal, according to the controls established by the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Incopesca).