The National Technical University (UTN) has a clear regional focus on the Gulf of Nicoya through its regional centers in Puntarenas (Pacific Headquarters) and Cañas (Guanacaste Headquarters). The Gulf of Nicoya on Costa Rica’s west coast, is one of the most productive tropical estuaries in the world. The Gulf is the country’s main artisan fishing area and highly attractive for tourism due to its high level of biodiversity. However, declining tourist numbers in recent decades have forced local communities to find alternative sources of income in the fishing and agriculture sectors, often with adverse effects on biodiversity. Thus, innovative strategies and measures are needed to achieve poverty reduction (UN Sustainable Development Goal – SDG 1) and protection of maritime and terrestrial biodiversity (SDG’s 14 and 15). The depletion of fish stocks has recently forced authorities to implement a strict fishing moratorium to protect aquatic biodiversity, which has however further constrained the livelihoods of local communities. Overfishing and continued illegal fishing have had a negative impact on the marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Nicoya [1], which is relevant for over 15,000 fishers ^[2]. Mangroves in the gulf host high levels of biodiversity and are under stress, while they form economically and environmentally important ecosystems as they are essential for the breeding of long-lived high-trophic-level fish whose nuisance can lead to an economic loss in fisheries of about 50% [3].   

The main tributary to the gulf, the Tempisque River, is referred to as “a slowly dying giant” [4]. It is not only the main tributary to the gulf but also the main source of water for Costa Rica’s most important intensively farmed region, Guanacaste. Approximately 24,000 hectares of sugar cane (55% of Costa Rica’s output), 5,300 hectares of melon, and 25% of the country’s rice production depend on the Tempisque river [5]. Approximately 90% of the river’s water is allocated to agriculture.  While subsistence farming is important to the livelihoods of many in the region [6], Guanacaste also has the largest farms in the country, 82% of which are applying fertilizers and 90% are using pesticides. Agricultural pollution and water consumption have a significant impact on freshwater systems which also leads to pollution of the maritime ecosystem in the gulf. Tourism, a key source of income in Costa Rica and the Gulf of Nicoya, also contributes to excessive water consumption and pollution, as well as altering land-use patterns. The growing ecotourism industry appears to be having a positive effect on livelihoods and the protection of the environment in the region. There is a common understanding among international donors, development agencies and the Costa Rican public that alternative employment strategies and further sources of income are needed. Accordingly, new jobs and services are seen as key to successful conservation efforts in the Gulf’s region.

An underlying cause of persistent social-ecological conflicts is the lack of participation by communities and other stakeholders in environmental management [7]. Therefore, the project takes a transdisciplinary systemic perspective and relies on a range of empirical research methods and participatory processes that bring together various stakeholders to establish efficient management structures for these complex social-ecological networks [8].