Bill 485.

Summary.

The bill proposes to establish a Responsible Fishing Reserve in the Corregimiento de Calovébora, province of Veraguas, to manage marine and coastal resources sustainably and promote responsible artisanal and household fishing. The reserve would cover the entire coastal strip from Punta Toñito eastward to the estuary of Río Belencillo. It would include the river mouths and estuaries connected to the Golfo de los Mosquitos within that area, including Rio Guázaro, Caño Guázaro, Estero Salado, and Boca Honda. Artisanal and household fishers from Calovébora would have priority to fish there.

Fishing in the reserve would be limited to small-scale or artisanal fishing and fishing for household consumption using a hand-operated line and hook. Sport, recreational, and tourist fishing would also be allowed with a manual reel or fishing rod, as would the use of a band-assisted spear to catch fish solely while breath-hold diving. The bill would prohibit any other fishing or use of aquatic resources in the reserve. It would also prohibit the extraction of shells, coral, and coral reef fish by any method.

The Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá, ARAP) would administer the reserve in coordination with the Ministry of Environment (Ministerio de Ambiente) and Calovébora’s community fishers’ organizations under a participatory co-management arrangement. The same authority would oversee monitoring and enforcement, with support from the Ministry of Environment and the National Aeronaval Service (Servicio Aeronaval). Community fishing patrols could also be established.

People from outside the area could engage in recreational and tourist fishing if they first obtain a Temporary Recreational Fishing Permit from ARAP or from a vessel or tourism operator licensed by ARAP, use authorized gear and methods, and, when required by the Reserve Regulations, are accompanied by a guide, fisher, or representative of the local community fishers’ organization. They would have to observe the quotas, minimum sizes, catch limits, and closed seasons established in the Reserve Management Plan. ARAP could charge fees for those permits to fund management, monitoring, and community benefit projects. At least 30% of the proceeds would fund local conservation programs and strengthen the livelihoods of Calovébora’s fishing communities, as provided in the co-management agreement. Permits for nonresidents would depend on preserving those communities’ livelihoods and preferential access, as defined by the Management Plan.

The bill would classify fishing by unauthorized methods, during closed seasons, with prohibited gear, or without a permit, as well as extracting coral or shells, as offenses. Penalties would be applied under Law 44 of November 23, 2006, its regulations, and supplementary provisions. The proposal concerns the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama, the Ministry of Environment, and the National Aeronaval Service, along with fishing communities, tourism operators, and recreational fishers.