Costa Rica News – For anyone that has had the chance to experience the breathtaking marine life in the waters surrounding Cocos Island located 550 km off the coast of Costa Rica, you have truly been privy to one of the most incredible places in the world. Cocos Island has populations of Hammerhead sharks, rays, dolphins and other large marine species, which unfortunately have recently become more frequently targets for poaching and shark finning. Something needed to be done.
Forever Costa Rica Association has hired Cambridge International Systems, Inc. to design and install a maritime surveillance system on Cocos Island to promote coastal-conservation activities and enhance security in this marine-protected area. The Costa Rican Coast Guard and Ministry of Environment will operate the system.
The waters around Cocos Island are home to sharks, leatherback sea turtles and other species that are threatened by illegal fishing and poaching.
“The surveillance system will help the Costa Rican government monitor activities that threaten the conservation of this important World Heritage Site,” said Zdenka Piskulich, director of Forever Costa Rica.
The surveillance system is funded by Forever Costa Rica, a non-profit created to work with the Government of Costa Rica in a public-private partnership to help make Costa Rica the first developing country to meet the protected-area goals of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Supporters of this organization include the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Linden Trust for Conservation, Nature Conservancy and the Walton Family Foundation. Forever Costa Rica has worked jointly with Conservation International, with support from the Oceans Five Foundation, to implement the National Maritime Control and Surveillance Strategy on Cocos Island.
Cambridge, a radar expert that has more than 15 years of experience in Latin America, has designed and installed maritime surveillance systems in Bahrain, Colombia, Iraq and the Philippines.
“Cambridge is proud to support Forever Costa Rica’s efforts to protect Costa Rica’s extraordinary marine life,” said Cambridge CEO Kim Harokopus. “We applaud Forever Costa Rica for developing an innovative approach to fight poaching.”
“Cambridge designed the maritime surveillance system with a flexible, open architecture that enables unrestricted future upgrade options,” said Eric Garnier, Cambridge’s senior vice president of technology and solutions delivery. “We will hire and train Costa Rican talent to implement this very important conservation project.”
About Forever Costa Rica
Forever Costa Rica is a non-profit association established on Nov. 18, 2009. Its role is to contribute to the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in perpetuity by managing environmental funds and partnerships with governments, corporations and civil society. Developed by the Government of Costa Rica and its partners, including the Nature Conservancy, Linden Trust for Conservation, Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation, the Forever Costa Rica program manages initiatives for public-private conservation. It supports the Government of Costa Rica in partnership with Conservation International to design and implement Costa Rica’s National Maritime Control and Surveillance Strategy.
About Cambridge International Systems
Headquartered in Arlington, Va., Cambridge International Systems, Inc. provides complex IT solutions around the world in support of clients’ most demanding communication, surveillance, intelligence and security requirements. To learn more aboutCambridge, visit www.cbridgeinc.com or www.facebook.com/cambridgeinternationalsystems.
