For more than a decade, Sharkproject International has been presenting the only environmental awards in the world specifically focused on sharks.

Alongside a positive award, the SharkGUARDIAN, there is also a negative award, the SharkENEMY of the year. The Sharkproject team nominates potential recipients and the winners are chosen by an international jury.

An interesting nomination this year is President Luis Guillermo Solis of Costa Rica. It so happens that Canadian environmentalist Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, plans to file a formal complaint against Costa Rica before the Inter American Court of Human Rights, and shark finning is at the heart of that complaint.

Also interesting to note that the 2013 SharkGUARDIAN award was given to former President Laura Chinchilla. The 2015 SharkGUARDIAN was actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who made a substantial donation to Costa Rica last year for the purpose of building a radar facility at Isla del Coco; this research project will enhance marine conservation efforts in the Pacific.

In a statement to the media, Sharkproject president Gerhard Werner explained his opinion on Costa Rica and the nomination:

I am torn. One the one hand, I love the country and have a lot of friends here. The country also has a unique concentration of wildlife sanctuaries. It is a beautiful country, simply perfect for tourism.

On the other hand, I am disturbed about the way in which the government can flip-flop on marine protection issues.

In my opinion, in terms of marine protection, there is no other country on earth that is currently such a slave to lobbyism as Costa Rica. The ongoing measures implemented by President Luis Guillermo Solís do not lead to any other conclusion. In Costa Rica, the fishing industry determines the marine protection policies of the government. All of the efforts that have turned Costa Rica into one of leaders in shark protection have been successfully eliminated under his leadership.

Costa Rica once had the most efficient laws against finning. The law states that only shark fins that are still attached to the body of the shark can be landed. But where is the oversight, where are the controls? Under President Luis Guillermo Solís, Puntarenas has once again become the main hub for shark fin trade. And the government’s clear intent is reflected in the measures. One example is a letter the government sent to all Costa Rican environmental organisations on 7 September 2015. The letter clearly states that effective immediately all support for shark protection will be stopped. And that is only an indication. We have collected all of the major points in our nomination advert. And this only points to one conclusion: Under President Solís, Costa Rica is re-opening for shark hunting. This means the Costa Rica is a negative example in an otherwise positive global development.

More and more countries are banning shark fin trade and are limiting shark hunting. However, Costa Rica is on a collision course. This is a major setback for marine protection efforts and a major setback for the country’s global image.

The award ceremony is traditionally held at the BOOT trade fair in Düsseldorf. In the case of the SharkENEMY award, the trophy usually has to be sent: the winners of this award do not tend to appear in person as the international interest and corresponding negative publicity is too great.