All beaches in the district of Nosara in Nicoya as well as Ostional in Santa Cruz will be closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. No one can visit the beaches, according to the City of Nicoya and the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge.
Ostional, Pelada and Guiones belong to the refuge, so communities along the beaches must follow the order issued this Tuesday March 17, by the National System of Conservation Areas.
The official order states the most-visited national parks will stay open but must limit capacity to 50% this week, and will close from Monday, March 23 through Sunday, April 12. Remaining protected areas, including the Ostional refuge, were closed as of March 18.
Refuge manager Yeimy Cedeño said Sinac officials will remain in the park and have authority to kick people off the beach. Only fishermen and community members who use the beach to earn a living, such as fishermen, are allow to go.
“It’s hard to control it because we can’t put a police officer on each beach,” Cedeño said. City of Nicoya spokesman César Blanco agrees and says the city has already received reports of people on the beach.
Thursday 19 Garza beach was closed to visitors and starting today Friday 20 Samara beach will be closed too.
“We have requested the closure of all public spaces. Our task is to keep people off beaches and public spaces. The police and Nosara’s development associations are collaborating with us,” Blanco said.
The city also closed the Nicoya park and roped it off with yellow tape and prohibited people from using other public parks and plazas.
There are no fines for breaking the orders, but police are authorized to remove people at closed public sites.