The Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, was created under Law No. 7384 of March 16, l994 and published in the Gazette No. 62 of March 29 of that year.
INCOPESCA, is a state public body with legal personality and its own assets, subject to the National Development Plan, issued by the official home Ejecutivo. The official address will be located in the city of Puntarenas, but with ability to establish offices anywhere in the country or outside the country when required.
Its objectives can be divided into three groups:
1. Coordinate fisheries and aquaculture sector, promote and manage the development of fishing, hunting, marine, aquaculture and research and promote it on the basis of technical and scientific criteria, conservation, development and sustainable use marine biological resources and aquaculture .
2. Regulate the rational use of fisheries resources, which tend to achieve higher economic returns, the protection of marine and aquaculture.
3. Develop, monitor and track the implementation of legislation to regulate and prevent the pollution of marine resources and aquaculture, as a result of fishing activities, aquaculture and pollution -generating activities, which threaten these resources.