Countries › Panama › Guide › 12. Sectors › Fisheries and aquaculture in Panama under Ley 204 de 2021: fishing licences, aquaculture concessions and fines

Fisheries and aquaculture in Panama under Ley 204 de 2021: fishing licences, aquaculture concessions and fines

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Stable

Ley 204 de 2021 makes the Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá (ARAP) the authority for fishing and aquaculture, for Panamanians and foreigners alike and for Panamanian flagged vessels anywhere. Every vessel except domestic consumption fishing needs a non transferable licence, international service licence holders must appoint a Panamanian lawyer as resident agent, and vessels on regional illegal fishing lists get no licence. Aquaculture concessions last up to 20 years with a 10 year grace period, and serious offences by large international vessels carry fines of up to B/.1,000,000 or three times the catch value.

Panama's currency, the balboa (B/.), is at par with the US dollar, which circulates as legal tender; the Superintendencia de Bancos states that the balboa's value is on a par with the US dollar (checked 29 October 2026). USD figures therefore equal the balboa figures.

Key facts

Maximum aquaculture concession term	20 yearsLey 204 de 2021 art. 91, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Grace period to complete the development plan	10 yearsLey 204 de 2021 art. 102, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Maximum scale fine for serious offences by international vessels above 100 net tons	1000000 PABLey 204 de 2021 art. 146, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Fishing licences transferable	No yes/noLey 204 de 2021 art. 44, as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. The law applies to any natural or legal person, Panamanian or foreign, engaged in fishing or aquaculture, to any national or foreigner on board a Panamanian vessel and to all Panamanian flagged vessels; ARAP is the competent authority.Ley 204 de 2021 (Gaceta Oficial 29244-A), arts. 1 and 2, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. ARAP adopts measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and grants no fishing licence to vessels on an IUU list of a regional fisheries management organisation; vessels leaving Panamanian ports to fish need a fishing departure clearance; nationalising, registering, building or modifying a fishing vessel requires ARAP's no objection, coordinated with AMP.Ley 204 de 2021, arts. 31, 33 and 34, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. Fishing beyond national jurisdiction is international service. Every vessel except those fishing for domestic consumption needs a licence, which carries a fee set by regulation; licences cannot be transferred, sold, leased or encumbered.Ley 204 de 2021, arts. 41, 42 and 44, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. Owners, shipowners, beneficial owners or operators of vessels with international service fishing licences must appoint a Panamanian lawyer or law firm as resident agent before ARAP, who files licence applications, pays licences and receives notices.Ley 204 de 2021, arts. 126 and 127, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. Beaches, marine and coastal waters and seabed may be used for aquaculture through an administrative concession granted by ARAP, after the land authority approves the plan and the Ministry of Economy's patrimonial assets office agrees, for up to 20 years, extendable, within the national aquaculture zoning.Ley 204 de 2021, art. 91, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Concessionaires have a 10 year grace period in the first contract term, from the Contraloría endorsement, to complete their development plan, and those investing to upgrade infrastructure may request a five year exemption from the lease fee.Ley 204 de 2021, arts. 102 and 103, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. For serious offences committed by international service catching vessels, fines are B/.50,000 to B/.300,000 for vessels up to 100 net tons, and B/.300,000 to B/.1,000,000 above 100 net tons, or three times the first sale market value of the catch, whichever is higher; licences can be suspended for one month to two years.
Cost to do it: Fines up to B/.1,000,000 or three times catch value.
Example: A 500 net ton purse seiner landing B/.400,000 of illegal catch faces at least B/.1,200,000 (three times catch) if that exceeds the scale amount. / US$400,000 catch: at least US$1,200,000.Ley 204 de 2021, art. 146, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Worked example

A shrimp farm on coastal land gets a 20 year ARAP concession, ten years to complete its development plan, and can ask for a five year lease fee exemption if it upgrades ponds to ARAP standards.
A foreign owned tuna vessel under Panamanian flag fishing in the high seas needs an international service licence and a Panamanian law firm as resident agent.

Step by step

Obtain ARAP's no objection before registering a fishing vessel with AMP.
Apply for the fishing licence through the resident agent and pay the regulated fee.
Obtain a fishing departure clearance before each trip from a Panamanian port.
For aquaculture, get the land authority plan approval, the Ministry of Economy opinion and the ARAP concession, then the Contraloría endorsement.

Common traps

A vessel listed for IUU fishing by any regional organisation cannot be licensed, whatever its flag history.
Licences attach to the vessel and holder; selling the vessel does not carry the licence.
Fines scale with catch value, so they can exceed the stated range.

Sources

← Telecommunications in Panama under Ley 31 de 1996: type A and type B concessions, 20 year terms and foreign ownershipMedicinal cannabis in Panama under Ley 242 de 2021: manufacturing and research licences, the B/.150,000 fee and cultivation permits →

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