Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE ONE THAT DIDN'T GET AWAY
Somewhere between five and 40 miles off the coast of Iztapa, chances are that right now a sportfisher is hauling
in a billfish. This area is recognized as one of the world's top sportfishing locations - the coastline here forms an
enormous, natural eddy and scientists who have studied the area have concluded this might be the largest breed-
ing ground for Pacific sailfish in the world.
Catches of 15 to 20 billfish per day are average throughout the year. During high season (October to May) this
number regularly goes over 40.
Guatemala preserves its billfish population by enforcing a catch-and-release code on all billfish caught. Other
species, such as dorado and tuna, are open game, and if you snag one, its next stop could well be your frying pan.
If you'd like lessons, or you're looking for an all-inclusive accommodation-and-fishing package, check
Fish here run in seasons. There's fishing all year round, but these are the best months:
May to October
For dorado
June to September
For roosterfish
September to December
For marlin
September to January
For yellowfin tuna
October
For sea bass
October to May
For sailfish
As in any part of the world, overfishing is a concern in Guatemala. The prime culprits here, though, are the com-
mercial fishers, who use drag netting. Another concern, particularly for inland species and shrimp, is the practice
of chemical-intensive agriculture. Runoff leeches into the river system, decimating fish populations and damaging
fragile mangrove ecosystems.
It's estimated that Guatemala's Pacific coast has lost more than 90% of its original mangrove forests. The man-
groves serve as nurseries for fish and shellfish and the trees maintain water quality and prevent erosion. They also
provide food and income for local populations, but all along the Pacific coast, commercial shrimp farming is
moving in. Over the past decade, commercial shrimp farms have consumed about 5% of all the remaining man-
groves in the world.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Iztapa
POP 6100
About 12km east of Puerto San José is Iztapa, Guatemala's first Pacific port, used by none
other than Pedro de Alvarado in the 16th century. When Puerto San José was built in
1853, Iztapa's reign as the port of the capital city came to an end, and it relaxed into a
tropical torpor from which it has yet to emerge.
Iztapa has gained renown as one of the world's premier
deep-sea fishing
spots. World re-
cords have been set here, and enthusiasts can fish for marlin, sharks and yellowfin tuna,
among others. November through June is typically the best time to angle for sailfish.
B&B
