Lobster fishing in Kuna Yala, Panama

The closure of lobster fishing is from March 1 until June 30 for the Pacific coasts of Belice, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic according to Honduranian law and an Ordenance issued by the Organization for the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector of Central America (OSPESCA in Spanish acronym) of the Central American Integration System (SICA, Spanish acronym).

“The closure protects the Caribbean spiney lobster (panulirus argus) during its greatest period of reproduction,” stated the press release from the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) of Honduras. Only El Salvador, which does not have a Pacific coast, is exempt from this measure in Central America.

In Honduras, lobster fishing is done in a small-scale, traditional (artisanal) manner in some areas where divers go to depths that affect their health, according to human rights organizations and local fishermen. In the last 20 years tens of divers have perished from lobster fishing and some 2,500 have injured their health according to the Honduranian Misquita Association of Injured Divers.

(Article in Spanish)

 

Here in Panama, lobsters from the Caribbean coast mostly come from the Guna native population living in the Guna Yala autonomous region.  It’s a delicacy that can be enjoyed in restaurants in Panama City and it is also exported. At the fish market at the end of Balboa Ave. you can find lobsters for sale that are still moving! The second floor restaurant at the fish market used to be a nice quite place to enjoy fresh seafood at a reasonable price.  But word seems to have gotten out, because now it is full of visitors and you have to wait your turn to find a table. Nonetheless, if you pick an off-hour, you can enjoy a good seafood lunch for $5.00 and up. 

Colombian and Costa Rican fishing boats are often captured for fishing illegally in Panamanian waters

Sandra Rivera for La Prensa

Sardine/anchovy fishing boat

The Water Resource Authority of Panama (ARAP) and Panamanian and Costa Rican fishing guilds are promoting a “responsible fishing agreement” so that Panamanians and Costa Ricans would fish in their own waters.

Elmer Romero, regional director of ARAP, explained that Costa Rican fishing boats are caught fishing in the Gulf of Chiriqui in the area of Punta Burica and the Panamanian boats are caught fishing in Dulce Gulf in Costa Rica. He mentioned that the problem stems from the definition of the imaginary line dividing the two countries in the Pacific Ocean, and the processes for capturing and returning vessels caught in foreign waters.

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of both countries will be envited to promote this agreement.  “We want to find a solution to Costa Ricans fishing in Panamanian waters and vice versa. There are a lot of complaints of Costa Rican boats fishing in the Gulf of Chiriqui,” said Elmer Romero.

(Full article in Spanish)

February 18, 2013

Wilfredo Jordan S. for La Prensa

Companies affiliated with the Maritime Chambers of Panama and who have already made investments in infrastructure cannot offer their services because AMP has not issued them their operating license.

Barges deliver fuel to the ships that transit the Canal or arrive at Panamanian ports.  More than 20 companies that offer this service in Panama, as well as the service of launches and tugboats, have been waiting for months, in some cases up to a year, for an answer from the Panamanian Maritime Authority (AMP) regarding their license application.

(See ful article in Spanish)