Summary.
The bill defines surfing, a wave break, swell, and Wave Sanctuaries: marine sites declared by the Ministry of Environment (Ministerio de Ambiente) that offer conditions for water sports. It classifies breaks according to the angle between the swell and the coastline or seabed as long, intermediate, or short and fast waves. It also accounts for sandy, rocky, and coral bottoms. Breaks along both coasts of Panama would become public domain property of the Panamanian State.
The Ministry of Environment, through the Coast and Marine Directorate (Dirección de Costas y Mares), and the relevant municipalities would inspect and conserve registered breaks. The National Air and Naval Service (SENAN) would patrol breaks and sanctuaries with environmental inspectors or park rangers and report unlawful activities that could disrupt natural wave formation. The Ministry of Environment would impose sanctions and mitigation, compensation, and restoration measures according to the severity of environmental damage. Where conduct constitutes an environmental offense, the competent authorities would refer the case to the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministerio Público), which could also act on its own initiative.
The Ministry of Environment would maintain an official registry of breaks suitable for board sports in coordination with the Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo), the National Sports Institute (PANDEPORTES), and municipalities. Individuals and groups could request registration. The Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would prescribe technical requirements. In sanctuaries and areas with identified breaks, the bill would prohibit sand extraction in the specified areas; exploration or extraction of seabed minerals; certain high impact industrial or commercial infrastructure; medium and large scale fishing; and activities incompatible with the proposed regime.
The Ministry of Environment and the relevant municipality would protect, monitor, and maintain sanctuaries, working with the Panama Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá), SENAN, and PANDEPORTES. Municipalities would promote local plans, sporting tournaments, and conservation awareness. Sanctuary management would address waste, pollution prevention, illegal fishing and overfishing, and community participation. To establish sanctuaries, the Ministry of Environment would map breaks with the Panama Tourism Authority, the Panama Maritime Authority (Autoridad Marítima de Panamá), and PANDEPORTES. The Ministry would declare sanctuaries in the jurisdictional waters of the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) based on wave quality, cultural, tourism, and sporting potential, and the condition of marine ecosystems.
The Ministry of Environment would develop technical capacity through agreements with scientific bodies and seek budget resources for equipment and technology. The Executive Branch would issue regulations and set deadlines for implementing the registry. The bill provides for entry into force on the day after promulgation. Its provisions would concern environmental, maritime, tourism, sports, and municipal authorities, as well as coastal communities and the water sports, fishing, sand extraction, seabed mining, and coastal infrastructure sectors.
What it proposes.
- Protection and registration of breaks suitable for board sports.
- Declaration and management of Wave Sanctuaries.
- Restrictions on activities that could affect breaks and marine ecosystems.
Who it would affect.
- National authorities and municipalities responsible for breaks and sanctuaries.
- Individuals and groups seeking to register breaks.
- People carrying out activities in sanctuaries or areas with identified breaks.
- Coastal communities and water sports participants.
Key points.
- Defines the framework's terms and classifies breaks by swell angle and seabed characteristics.Arts. 2-3
- Places breaks along both coasts of Panama in the State's public domain.Art. 4
- Assigns protection and patrol duties for breaks and sanctuaries to environmental, municipal, and patrol authorities.Art. 5
- Provides for environmental sanctions and measures, and referral to the Public Prosecutor's Office in cases of environmental crime.Art. 6
- Creates an official registry of sports suitable breaks that individuals may also request to enter.Art. 7
- Prohibits extractive activities, certain high impact infrastructure, and medium and large scale fishing in the specified areas.Art. 8
- Establishes sustainable sanctuary management and criteria for mapping and declaring sanctuaries.Arts. 9-10
- Provides for scientific cooperation, technical resources, and regulations setting deadlines to implement the registry.Arts. 11-12