Bill 508.

Summary.

The bill establishes a framework to conserve, protect, plan for, and sustainably use the Gulf of Chiriquí, alongside tourism development. It would cover marine waters, coasts, islands, mangroves, estuaries, and other ecosystems in the area. Its principles include making strategic, logistics, and tourism infrastructure compatible with environmental protection; institutional coordination; territorial equity; community participation; precaution; and sustainability. Among other concepts, it defines selective fishing gear, sustainable sport fishing, and environmentally sensitive areas. It places the Gulf of Chiriquí in Chiriquí Province and leaves the determination of its boundaries to the implementing regulations.

It creates the Gulf of Chiriquí Management Council (Consejo de Gestión del Golfo de Chiriquí) as a coordination, planning, and participation body attached to the Ministry of Environment (Ministerio de Ambiente), which would serve as its secretariat, without an additional administrative structure or budget. Its members would include representatives of the Ministry of Environment, the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá), the Panama Maritime Authority (Autoridad Marítima de Panamá), the Chiriquí Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture, Industry and Tourism (Cámara de Comercio, Agricultura, Industria y Turismo de Chiriquí), local governments, coastal communities, and the academic and scientific sector. Local representation would rotate among David, San Lorenzo, San Félix, Remedios, and Tolé. The Council would meet at least once a month; its members would serve for 1 year, with only 1 additional consecutive appointment, and would elect its chair annually. It would propose and monitor the management plan, issue technical recommendations, coordinate actions, and publish an annual report. It would also provide access to its decisions, minutes, and recommendations and account for its work when requested.

The Ministry of Environment would coordinate patrols, surveillance, and monitoring with the aquatic, maritime, and security authorities, including through technological tools and community mechanisms. These activities would use existing institutional resources, although they could receive resources from associations, clubs, or national or international organizations. The bill provides for marine and coastal zoning that could distinguish areas for conservation, regulated use, traditional artisanal fishing, sustainable tourism, research, and responsible aquaculture. The Ministry of Environment would develop and approve, with the Council, a Comprehensive Management Plan containing measures for conservation, regulation of productive activities, climate adaptation and mitigation, education, and evaluation. The plan would be aligned with existing protected area management plans and would be binding on the competent institutions.

The State would promote incentives for sustainable economic activities. Strategic, logistics, and tourism infrastructure projects would have to comply with environmental legislation, environmental impact assessments, and applicable planning instruments. Ecotourism, community tourism, marine wildlife watching, and scientific tourism would be promoted, with coastal community participation and respect for protected area management plans. Sport fishing would be subject to regulation, monitoring, and scientific oversight in authorized areas, with priority given to catch and release. The bill also provides for support for artisanal fishing and the gradual replacement of nonselective fishing gear. It prohibits trammel nets and other nonselective nets in breeding grounds, coral reefs, mangroves, and other sensitive areas, in accordance with the zoning and existing plans. The implementing regulations would have to govern the transition for artisanal fishers without affecting their livelihoods. Research and environmental education would also be promoted.

Actions or omissions contrary to the proposed law, the plan, or its regulations would constitute violations. Under existing environmental legislation, the competent authorities could impose fines, suspend or revoke permits or concessions, and require remediation of environmental damage. The bill provides for consistent application alongside environmental, maritime, fisheries, and land use legislation, and for implementation using existing institutional resources. It directs the Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) to issue implementing regulations within 180 days of its promulgation and provides that it would take effect upon promulgation. Its provisions concern the Ministry of Environment, the maritime and aquatic authorities, local governments, and the fishing, tourism, infrastructure, commerce, research, and coastal community sectors.