Everyone wants to return home without their dream tropical fishing vacation turning into a nightmare. Good judgment, common sense and a few precautions can ensure a safe and fun fishing adventure. This summary is intended to give the reader a brief overview of the legal requirements for operating charters and how to select a good, safe operator to minimize the risks of problems.
Safe Fishing
Several unfortunate incidents with loss life involving tourists trying to go the cheap route on a charter with marginally equipped boats or inexperienced captains have been well publicized in the local and international press in the last several years. When your life is on the line in a foreign country, cheap is not better – quality and experience are your best assurance of a safe trip. Stay away from fly-by-night operators with no track record. The author is personally aware of at least seven fatalities on fishing trips in Costa Rican waters.
Charter boat operators and fishing camps are required to meet certain documentation and inspection requirements, and the potential customer should not besitare to ask to see such documents.
All boats are required to have a matriculation, registry with the original document on the boat. This document shows the legal owner, type of boat, motor, year of manufacture and other useful data.
The boat also is required to have a current Certificate of Navigation, which is an annual inspection of seaworthiness done by the Port Capitan where the boat is docked. This shows the required safety equipment is on board and the number of passengers allowed, hours of operation and restrictions on use.
Commercial fishing boats are also required to have a fishing license for the type of fishing being done, which is issued by INCOPESCA, the government fishing institute. In addition, each fisherman is required to have the appropriate personal license, usually available at the dock or camp where you are fishing.
Safe Fishing
Once you have ascertained that the boat papers are in order, the next step is getting some personal references from recent satisfied customers. Additionally, improperly maintained boats can become unsafe quickly. Avoid boats that do not look well maintained.
If you get in trouble at sea in the tropics, you cannot depend on search and rescue to be up to U.S. standards, so proper boat selection is even more critical. Bringing an inexpensive GPS to give your location in the event of trouble is a good idea, too. Common sense is the key. The bat should have a good marine radio, and a cell phone on board is also a nice option. Tell people where you are and where you are going. Nights, weekends and the many legal holidays can impede fast help.
Also, it is a good idea to be sure your boat has a good liability insurance policy to pay for damages and medical costs in the event of an accident. A reputable operator should not hesitate to provide you proof of current coverage and amounts of coverage.
Chartering your boat from a professional booking agent specializing in fishing is also a good idea. No one can keep up better with the current status of boats and crews than a local booking agent like Costa Rica Outdoors, located right here in country. With 12 years working with the boats and our weekly fishing reports by founder and outdoor writer Jerry Ruhlow, you are insured a safe trip.
Activities and Sports 
