- MinSeg, MiAmbiente, ARAP, SENAN and MPA collaborate strategically in the fight against IUU fishing in Panamanian waters, through the use of operational strategies and advanced technology.
- Two Colombian vessels have been captured in protected Panamanian waters while engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
- After months of training and preparation, this is the first joint mission to take place since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the end of 2022.
- Marine Protection Alliance is an NGO working with Panama to protect the CMAR (Marine Conservation Corridor of the Eastern Tropical Pacific) from IUU.
Panama City, September 25, 2023. As part of the inter-institutional surveillance operation in the Coiba Mountain Range Managed Resources Area, in the seas of Veraguas, the Ministry of Security (MinSeg), the National Air and Naval Service (SENAN), MiAmbiente and the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP), with the essential help of the non-governmental organization Marine Protection Alliance (MPA), have captured a Colombian vessel, which was violating national fishing laws in protected Panamanian waters.
Once the irregularities were confirmed, eight Colombian nationals were detained. The encounter occurred on the morning of Friday, September 22, and those involved were arrested by the boat’s crew and taken to land to apply the corresponding administrative sanction.
It is important to note that fragments of silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis), hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus) and the carcass of an olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) were found. There are indications that there may be more sharks.
After months of training and preparation, this is the first joint mission carried out by both institutions since the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the end of 2022. Since then, SENAN and MPA have been preparing and training, retrofitting MPA’s ‘Sharkwater’ vessel with specialized technology aimed at detecting and deterring IUU vessels, receiving training in various tactics and operational strategies, as well as developing intelligence systems.
Deputy Commissioner Dimas Saldaña, Commander of the 1st Naval Air Region, stated that “this vessel was located southeast of Jicarita Island, Coiba mountain range, Veraguas province. Upon boarding, the units noticed a large amount of illegal fishing, such as shark fins, dead sharks, turtles and sailfish, among others. Subsequently, coordination was made with the competent authorities. There were eight crew members of Colombian nationality”.
David Hance, MPA’s Director of LATAM Operations, said: “We are very proud of the outcome of this mission because it has been a major milestone in our commitment to protect Panama’s oceans. What these ships are doing is a crime against nature. These practices are more common than they seem and increased vigilance is needed because their impact is not only environmental, but also affects the country’s economy and the lives of local communities, reducing the availability of fish as food for the people who need it most”.
About Marine Protection Alliance (MPA)
Marine Protection Alliance (MPA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that protects marine areas from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other related criminal activities by assisting and working closely with relevant authorities in the CMAR (Marine Conservation Corridor of the Eastern Tropical Pacific) region.
