Public Zone Delimitation of the Higuerón River EstuaryDelimitación de Zona Pública de la Ría del Río Higuerón

8905, the National Geographic Institute, hereinafter IGN, is established as a dependency of the National Registry, which shall sign the contracts and agreements necessary for the exercise of its functions. Likewise, in accordance with Law No. 59, the IGN is the scientific and technical dependency governing national cartography, intended for the execution of the Official Basic Map and the Basic Geographic Description of the Republic of Costa Rica, and for studies, research, or work, and the development of national cartographic, geographic, geodetic, geophysical, and similar policies related to such works, in order to support planning processes.

59 constitutes the IGN permanently and on behalf of the State, as the official authority in geodetic matters and in the spatial representation of the geography of the Republic of Costa Rica, its authority extending to activities of any nature originating from the work entrusted to it.

59; Article 62 of Executive Decree No. 7841-P, named Regulation to the Law on the Maritime Terrestrial Zone, recognizes the IGN's competence for the delimitation of the public zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone, and its officialization through publication in the Official Gazette La Gaceta; Article 63 of Executive Decree No. 7841-P indicates that the National Geographic Institute must publish a notice in the Official Gazette for each portion of the maritime-terrestrial zone in which it has demarcated the public zone.

36642-MP-MOPT-MINAET, Regulation of Specifications for the Delimitation of the Public Zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone, in accordance with Articles 18, 19, and 20, it establishes that for the types of delimitation of the Public Zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone, the IGN may resort to two execution methodologies, namely: a) delimitation through the placement of boundary markers (mojones) and; b) georeferenced digital delimitation, which is a methodology that allows the georeferencing of the ordinary high-water mark (pleamar ordinaria), based on coordinates in the country's official reference system, established by Executive Decree No. 33797-MJ-MOPT titled Declares CR05 as the official horizontal datum for Costa Rica, linked to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2000) of the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) for the measurement epoch 2005.83, without the need to place boundary markers, in order to streamline delimitations and provide greater technical security to interested parties.

33797-MJ-MOPT, which, among other aspects, determines the National Geodetic Network of Horizontal Reference CR05 and its associated cartographic projection CRTM05, as the official system to which the coordinates of all geodetic, cartographic, and cadastral work executed in our country must be referenced, specifically indicating in its Article 11 that the National Geodetic Network of Horizontal Reference CR05 and the cartographic projection system CRTM05 shall constitute the only official coordinate system for the Republic of Costa Rica, from which all surveys and cartographic and geodetic activities undertaken in the National Territory by any public agency, person, or private, national, or foreign entity that undertakes or contracts geodetic and cartographic work must be referenced, thus contributing to avoiding public spending and, on the other hand, obtaining reliable, uniform, and comparable geographic information that is generally useful and supports decision-making at different levels of the State.; while Article 7 indicates that as cartographic data are produced in the new cartographic projection system CRTM05, the National Geographic Institute will publish, by appropriate means, that information which has been officialized.

40962-MJP, Update of the Official Horizontal Reference Geodetic System for Costa Rica, declares in its Article 1 that the official horizontal reference geodetic system for Costa Rica, named CR05 and its materialization through the National Geodetic Network, changes its acronym to CRSIRGAS, as the official horizontal reference system for the Republic of Costa Rica, linked to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame ITRF2008 (IGb08), for the measurement epoch 2014.59, and henceforth, the changes and its update shall be governed according to the new ITRF definitions that are implemented in the continental network of the Geocentric Reference System for the Americas (SIRGAS) called SIRGAS-CON, while Article 2 establishes that the cartographic projection system CRTM05 shall continue to be the official one for the cartographic representation of the continental national territory, extended for the purposes of applying this cartographic projection to the baseline of the territorial sea in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, this line defined in accordance with Articles 5, 6, and 7 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as the starting point for calculating the maximum breadth of all jurisdictional marine areas of the Costa Rican State.

For its part, Article 12 of the cited decree reinforces the application of the cartographic projection CRTM05 as the official national coordinate system to which work in the continental territory of our country must be referenced, by indicating that the horizontal reference system CRSIRGAS and its associated cartographic projection CRTM05 for the continental territory extended to the baseline of the territorial sea, and the "Universal Transversal Mercator" (UTM) cartographic projection, zones 16 and 17 for jurisdictional marine and insular areas in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, shall constitute the only official coordinate system for the Republic of Costa Rica, from which all surveys and cartographic and geodetic activities undertaken in the national territory by any public agency, person, or private, national, or foreign entity that undertakes or contracts geodetic and cartographic work must be referenced.

7841-P; b) Executive Decree No. 33797-MJ-MOPT and; c) Executive Decree No. 36642-MP-MOPT-MINAET, all previously cited.

10.-That Law No. 7575, called the Forestry Law (Ley Forestal), dated February 13, 1996, in its Article 16 establishes that the Ministry of Environment and Energy shall delimit on the ground the boundaries of the areas that make up the Natural Heritage of the State (Patrimonio Natural del Estado).

11.-That Law No. 6043 establishes in its Article 1 of CHAPTER I, General Provisions, that the maritime terrestrial zone constitutes part of the national heritage, belongs to the State, and is inalienable and imprescriptible. Its protection, as well as that of its natural resources, is the obligation of the State, its institutions, and all the inhabitants of the country. Its use and exploitation are subject to the provisions of this law.

12.-That according to Article 11 of CHAPTER I, General Provisions of Law No. 6043, it establishes that the Public Zone is also, whatever its extension, that occupied by all mangroves of the continental and insular coastlines and estuaries (esteros) of the national territory.

13.-That Executive Decree No. 36786-MINAET, titled Manual for the classification of lands dedicated to the conservation of natural resources within the Maritime Terrestrial Zone in Costa Rica, published in La Gaceta No. 217 of November 11, 2011, establishes among its objectives to Identify within the Maritime Terrestrial Zone those lands that classify as forests, of forestry aptitude (suelos Clase VII and VIII), wetlands (mangroves, esteros, rías, salt marshes, coastal lagoons, swamps, flooded forests, salt flats), to certify them and incorporate them as part of the Natural Heritage of the State (PNE).

14.-That Executive Decree No. 36786-MINAET in point III.-Competencies for delimitation and certification establishes that The classification of lands within the ZMT shall correspond to the Conservation Areas (Áreas de Conservación, AC) of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) and to private professionals duly accredited by the respective Professional Associations to classify forests, lands of forestry aptitude (Class VII and VIII soils), (mangroves, esteros, rías, salt marshes, coastal lagoons, swamps, flooded forests, salt flats), and wetlands. The validity of classification documents issued by private professionals shall be subject to the approval issued by the AC with the corresponding territorial competence. The ACs of SINAC with jurisdiction in the ZMT shall also be responsible for the verification, oversight, demarcation (deslinde), and certification of the lands of the Natural Heritage of the State and protection zones.

The location and delimitation of the areas of the Natural Heritage of the State within the Maritime Terrestrial Zone must be carried out as part of the approval process of the Coastal Regulatory Plan (Plan Regulador Costero, PRC), defined by Law 6043, since the Coastal Regulatory Plan is the territorial planning instrument that defines and locates all zones to be concessioned within the ZMT and for its classification at the cadastral plan level. Therefore, the Coastal Regulatory Plan must clearly and expressly indicate the areas of the PNE so they are not counted in the total area to be concessioned.

16.-That through certification SINAC-ACOSA-D-389-2020 dated August 25, 2020, signed by Laura Rivera Quintanilla, acting director of the Osa Conservation Area (Área de Conservación Osa, ACOSA), the extent of the ría of the Higuerón River, located in district 04° Bahía Ballena, canton 05° Osa, of the province 06° Puntarenas, is established in accordance with official communication SINAC-ACOSA-ASP-RVS-AD-009-2019, prepared by the officials Tec. Stephanie Porras Batista and Lic. Joel García Medina of ACOSA.

17.-The National Geographic Institute used the "Georeferenced Digital Delimitation" methodology to delimit the public zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone in the ría of the Higuerón River, located in district 04° Bahía Ballena, canton 05° Osa, of the province of 06° Puntarenas.

18.-That the delimitation carried out has internal technical endorsement in accordance with official communication No. DIG-TOT-0056-2021 of February 10, 2021, issued by the Official Limits Subprocess of the Topographic and Territory Observation Department of the National Geographic Institute.

19.-That Article 140 of Law No. 6227, General Law of Public Administration, indicates that "the administrative act shall produce its effect after being communicated to the administered party, except if it grants only rights, in which case it shall produce it from the moment it is adopted," a provision that must necessarily be related to section 204) of the same regulatory body, which defines the suitable instrument for communicating acts of a generic nature by indicating that: "General acts shall be communicated by publication and specific acts by notification." Communicates:

First.-The National Geographic Institute used the "Georeferenced Digital Delimitation" methodology to delimit the public zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone in the ría of the Higuerón River, located in district 04° Bahía Ballena, canton 05° Osa, of the province of 06° Puntarenas, based on official communication SINAC-ACOSA-D-389-2020 dated August 25, 2020, signed by Laura Rivera Quintanilla, acting director of ACOSA.

Second.-The public zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone corresponding to the Higuerón River, located in district 04° Bahía Ballena, canton 05° Osa, of the province of 06° Puntarenas, is given in the official cartographic projection system of Costa Rica, CRTM05, of Map MBCR-1/50,000 Sheet Dominical 3443-IV, under the coordinates:

Third.-The sectors located in district 04° Bahía Ballena, canton 05° Osa, of the province 06° Puntarenas, which to date have a delimitation of the public zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone through the placement of boundary markers and respective publication in the Official Gazette La Gaceta, maintain their official condition.

Fourth.-The official technical data of the georeferenced digital delimitation of the public zone of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone of the ría of the Higuerón River have been recorded in the Digital Georeferenced Geodatabase (GDG) of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) on the Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZMT), in a vector format shapefile, under the coding: RN/IGN_GDG-IGN-ZMT_Rías.

Fifth: Effective from its publication.

Given in Curridabat, on the 04th day of the month of November of the year 2021.

Asimismo, de conformidad con la ley N° 59, el IGN es la dependencia científica y técnica rectora de la cartografía nacional, destinada a la ejecución del Mapa básico oficial y la Descripción básica geográfica de la República de Costa Rica y a los estudios, las investigaciones o labores y el desarrollo de políticas nacionales de carácter cartográfico, geográfico, geodésico, geofísico y de índole similar que tenga relación con dichas obras, con el fin de apoyar los procesos de planificación.

Por su parte, el artículo 12 del decreto de cita, refuerza la aplicación de la proyección cartográfica CRTM05 como el sistema nacional de coordenadas oficial a la cual se deben referenciar en el territorio continental de nuestro país, al señalar que El sistema de referencia horizontal CRSIRGAS y su proyección cartográfica asociada CRTM05 para el territorio continental extendido hasta la línea de base del mar territorial y, la proyección cartográfica "Universal Transversal de Mercator" (U'TM), zonas 16 y 17 para las áreas marinas e insulares jurisdiccionales en el océano Pacífico y el mar Caribe, constituirán el único sistema oficial de coordenadas para la República de Costa Rica, a partir del cual, se deben referenciar todos los levantamientos y actividades cartográficos y geodésicos que desarrollen en el territorio nacional toda dependencia pública, persona o entidad privada, nacional o extranjera, que emprendan o contraten trabajos geodésicos y cartográficos.

10.-Que la ley N° 7575 denominada Ley Forestal del 13 de febrero de 1996 en su artículo 16 establece que el Ministerio del Ambiente y Energía delimitará en el terreno, los linderos de las áreas que conforman el Patrimonio Natural del Estado.

11.-Que la ley N° 6043 establece en su artículo 1 del CAPÍTULO I, Disposiciones Generales que La zona marítimo terrestre constituye parte del patrimonio nacional, pertenece al Estado y es inalienable e imprescriptible. Su protección, así como la de sus recursos naturales, es obligación del Estado, de sus instituciones y de todos los habitantes del país. Su uso y aprovechamiento están sujetos a las disposiciones de esta ley.

12.-Que según el artículo 11 del CAPÍTULO I, Disposiciones Generales de la ley N° 6043, establece que la Zona pública es también, sea cual fuere su extensión, la ocupada por todos los manglares de los litorales continentales e insulares y esteros del territorio nacional.

13.-Que el Decreto Ejecutivo N° 36786-MINAET titulado Manual para la clasificación de tierras dedicadas a la conservación de los recursos naturales dentro de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre en Costa Rica publicado en La Gaceta N° 217 del 11 de noviembre del 2011, establece entre sus objetivos Identificar dentro de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre aquellos terrenos que clasifiquen como bosques, de aptitud forestal (suelos Clase VII y VIII), humedales (manglares, esteros, rías, marismas, lagunas costeras, pantanos, bosques anegados, salitrales), para certificarlos e incorporarlos como parte del Patrimonio Natural del Estado (PNE).

14.-Que el Decreto Ejecutivo N° 36786-MINAET en el punto III.-Competencias para la delimitación y certificación establece que La clasificación de los terrenos dentro de la ZMT corresponderá a las Áreas de Conservación (AC) del Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC) y a profesionales privados debidamente acreditados por los Colegios Profesionales respectivos para que clasifiquen los bosques, terrenos de aptitud forestal (suelos Clase VII y VIII), (manglares, esteros, rías, marismas, lagunas costeras, pantanos, bosques anegados, salitrales) y humedales. La validez de los documentos de clasificación emitidos por profesionales privados quedará sujeta a la aprobación que emita el AC que por competencia territorial le corresponda. A las AC del SINAC con jurisdicción en la ZMT les competerá, además, la verificación, fiscalización, deslinde y certificación de las tierras del Patrimonio Natural del Estado y las zonas de protección.

La ubicación y delimitación de las áreas del Patrimonio Natural del Estado dentro de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre, debe realizarse como parte del proceso de aprobación del Plan Regulador Costero (PRC), definido por la Ley 6043, ya que el Plan Regulador Costero es el instrumento de ordenamiento territorial, que define y ubica todas las zonas a concesionar dentro de la ZMT y para la clasificación de ésta a nivel de los planos de catastro. Por tanto, el Plan Regulador Costero debe indicar clara y expresamente, las áreas del PNE para no contabilizarlas en el área total a concesionar.

16.-Que mediante la certificación SINAC-ACOSA-D-389-2020 de fecha 25 de agosto de 2020, suscrito por Laura Rivera Quintanilla, directora a.í. del Área de Conservación Osa, se establece el alcance de la ría del Río Higuerón situado en el distrito 04° Bahía Ballena, cantón 05° Osa, de la provincia 06° Puntarenas acorde con el oficio SINAC-ACOSA-ASP-RVS-AD-009-2019, elaborado por los funcionarios Tec. Stephanie Porras Batista y el Lic. Joel García Medina del Área de Conservación Osa.

17.-El Instituto Geográfico Nacional, utilizó la metodología de "Delimitación Digital Georreferenciada" para delimitar la zona pública de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre en la ría del Río Higuerón, ubicado en el distrito 04° Bahía Ballena, cantón 05° Osa de la provincia de 06° Puntarenas.

18.-Que la delimitación realizada cuenta con aval técnico interno conforme al oficio N° DIG-TOT-0056-2021 del 10 de febrero de 2021, emitido por el Subproceso de Límites Oficiales del Departamento Topográfico y Observación del Territorio del Instituto Geográfico Nacional.

19.-Que el artículo 140 de la Ley N° 6227 Ley General de la Administración Pública, señala que "el acto administrativo producirá su efecto después de comunicado al administrado, excepto si le concede únicamente derechos, en cuyo caso lo producirá desde que se adopte", disposición que necesariamente debe relacionarse con el numeral 204) del mismo cuerpo normativo, mismo que define el instrumento idóneo para comunicar actos de naturaleza genérica al señalar que: "Se comunicaran por publicación los actos generales y por notificación, los concretos".

Comunica:

Primero.-El Instituto Geográfico Nacional, utilizó la metodología de "Delimitación Digital Georreferenciada" para delimitar la zona pública de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre en la ría del Río Higuerón, ubicado en el distrito 04° Bahía Ballena, cantón 05° Osa de la provincia de 06° Puntarenas con fundamento en el oficio SINAC-ACOSA-D-389-2020 de fecha 25 de agosto de 2020 suscrito por Laura Rivera Quintanilla, directora a.í. del Área de Conservación Osa.

Segundo.-La zona pública de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre correspondiente en el Río Higuerón, ubicado en el distrito 04° Bahía Ballena, cantón 05° Osa de la provincia de 06° Puntarenas está dada en el sistema de proyección cartográfica oficial de Costa Rica CRTM05, del Mapa MBCR- 1/50.000 Hoja Dominical 3443-IV, bajo las coordenadas:

Tercero.-Los sectores ubicados en el distrito 04° Bahía Ballena del cantón 05° Osa, de la provincia 06° Puntarenas que a la fecha cuentan con delimitación de la zona pública de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre a través de la colocación de mojones y respectiva publicación en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta, mantienen su condición oficial.

Cuarto.-Los datos técnicos oficiales de la delimitación digital georreferenciada de la zona pública de la Zona Marítimo Terrestre de la ría del Río Higuerón han quedado registrados en la Geodatabase Digital Georreferenciada (GDG) del Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN) sobre la Zona Marítimo Terrestre (ZMT), en archivo con formato vectorial shape, bajo la codificación: RN/IGN_GDG-IGN- ZMT_Rías.

Quinto: Rige a partir de su publicación.

Dado en Curridabat, a los 04 días del mes de noviembre del año 2021.