WHY VISIT THE GOLFO DULCE ?

The Dulce Gulf, located on the Osa peninsula, is a unique place on the continent, due to its scenic characteristics, its biological value and its biodiversity, according to specialists from the Center for Research in Marine Sciences and Limnology (Cimar) of the University of Costa Rica (UCR).

However, the conservation of this marine ecosystem and others present in the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, faces various threats from both natural and anthropogenic phenomena, such as real estate development, marine projects, organic and chemical pollution, overfishing, tourism, hurricanes and climate change, said Dr. Álvaro Morales Ramírez, director of the Center.

Other important biological ecosystems located in the South Pacific and that are also part of the Osa Conservation Area (Acosa), are the Marino Ballena National Park, the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland (Ramsar site), the Isla del Caño Biological Reserve and Corcovado National Park.

In the inaugural conference of the I Conference on Research, Social Action and Teaching of the Osa-Golfo Dulce Institutional Program (PiOsa) of the UCR, held from November 4 to 6, Dr. Morales presented some of the results of the investigations of the CIMAR in the Costa Rican South Pacific, and spoke about the conservation and threats of marine-coastal resources.

The PiOsa program, created in 2004, is attached to the UCR's Office of the Vice President for Research. It currently develops 17 research and social action projects, with the participation of 25 researchers.

The Golfo Dulce "is a unique setting on the entire Pacific coast of America, from Alaska to Patagonia," Morales said, a situation that has attracted researchers not only nationals, but also from other countries.

He explained that this gulf is the only tropical fjord (narrow and deep gulf) known in the American continent, and with particular oceanographic characteristics.

The entrance from the sea to the gulf is not very deep, as it has a maximum of 60 meters, and then it goes down to 215 meters deep to form a pit. 

                                                                                                                                                     Biological Diversity

The South Pacific coast is distinguished by its great biological diversity. Scientists estimate that there are 1,100 marine species, distributed in 310 families, which means that there are approximately 1.6 species per square kilometer.

For Dr. Morales, “the diversity of the Golfo Dulce is extraordinary. In some groups it contains twice as many species, with half the area, than the Gulf of Nicoya ”.

Another characteristic of this gulf is that it functions as a small ocean, information of great relevance when defining policies and resource management plans.

The Dulce Gulf has coral reef and mangrove systems, and is a very important area for the sighting and breeding of cetacean populations, especially the humpback whale, a species declared vulnerable.

In this sense, the specialist is of the criterion that dolphin and whale watching tourism must be managed in a planned way and complying with the cetacean observation regulations, otherwise it could negatively affect these species.                                                     

                                                        Fishing in Golfo Dulce                                                                     The Pacific Ocean in Southern Costa Rica is one of the best fishing spots in the world. Offshore in the deep water, people come from all over the world to catch Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi (Dorado in Spanish), Marlin and Sailfish. Inside the calm, pristine Golfo Dulce, inshore fishing is spectacular with snapper, snook, jack, roosterfish, bonito, barracuda, needlefish, blackfin tuna and mackerel ready for the catch.

The Golfo Dulce is one of only three tropical fjords in the world; with depths exceeding 200 meters in the inner basin, it is one of the deepest. It lies between the Osa Peninsula to the west and the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica to the east. The Gulf’s waters are sheltered from the open ocean by a shallow 60-meter shelf at its southern end. It is an area of tremendous biodiversity, and home to the virgin rainforest of the Piedras Blancas National Park.