ARAP, the Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá, licenses fishing. Two decrees of June 2026 take full effect on 10 December 2026. Decree 9 covers all sport fishing. Decree 10 makes billfish catch-and-release. Sport catch can't be sold. Closed seasons include Caribbean spiny lobster from 1 March to 30 June, and most parks are closed to fishing.
Who regulates fishing in Panama
ARAP manages fisheries and aquaculture. It issues sport and commercial fishing licences, sets closed seasons (vedas) and minimum sizes, and inspects catches and stocks. Its online window is vu.arap.gob.pa, and its site arap.gob.pa lists a WhatsApp line for questions.
MiAmbiente decides whether you can fish at all inside a protected area. Coiba, Bastimentos and most refuges are largely no-take. SENAN boards boats at sea and checks permits along with the boat's papers. In Guna Yala, the Congreso General Guna doesn't allow visitors to fish at all.
Sport fishing means fishing for sport, recreation or tourism without selling the catch. That definition comes from Executive Decree 4 of 2025 on nautical tourism. If you sell fish, you are fishing commercially, and you need a different licence.
The sport-fishing licence from 10 December 2026
On 10 June 2026 the Gaceta Oficial published Executive Decree 9 on sport fishing and Executive Decree 10 on billfish (peces de pico). Both take full effect on 10 December 2026, after a six-month adjustment period.
ARAP's November 2025 consultation drafts set out the system to expect:
- an angler's carné for everyone over 12 who fishes, with short-term versions for foreign visitors;
- a tourist-captain carné and a vessel licence for boats that take paying anglers;
- a daily bag limit per boat, after which fishing is release-only;
- catch reporting, linked to licence renewal.
The final text may differ from the drafts, and ARAP hadn't published fees by the time we checked. Before your first trip after 10 December, ask ARAP which carné each person aboard needs and what it costs. Charter operators should read running a fishing charter in Panama.
Until 10 December 2026, the earlier ARAP rules still apply. Check the sport-fishing procedures (trámites) on arap.gob.pa, or message ARAP, before you fish. Don't assume a Florida or other foreign licence counts in Panama; it doesn't.
Billfish, keeping fish and selling fish
Under the billfish rules, blue, black and striped marlin, sailfish, spearfish and swordfish are catch-and-release only. ARAP's draft also required:
- non-offset circle hooks whenever you use natural bait;
- reviving the fish before release;
- never lifting a billfish out of the water for a photograph;
- prior written ARAP authorization, and a fee, to keep one at a tournament or for a record.
Keep only what you will eat, within the bag limit, and never sell it. A tuna sold off a private boat turns sport fishing into unlicensed commercial fishing. Never take turtles, sharks or rays in Las Perlas, or reef fish and coral anywhere. Ley 304 of 2022 bans taking corals and reef fish such as parrotfish and angelfish.
Closed seasons and size limits
| Species | Closure or rule | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Caribbean spiny lobster | Closed 1 March to 30 June. Tails under 14 cm are illegal all year. | Caribbean coast, including San Blas and Bocas |
| Lobster in Las Perlas | Closed 1 December to 15 April (Ley 18 of 2007) | Archipiélago de Las Perlas |
| Marine shrimp | Two closures a year. The second in 2026 ran from 1 September to 11 October. | Nationwide |
| Billfish | Release only, all year | All waters |
| Sea turtles | Fully protected (Ley 371 of 2023) | All waters |
During a closure, don't catch the species, and don't buy it from fishermen or island vendors either. ARAP announces each closure on arap.gob.pa and in the press, and the dates can shift from year to year, so check before every season.
Where you can't fish
- Coiba National Park: only in zones authorized by the management plan, with MiAmbiente authorization. Hannibal Bank and Isla Montuosa are in Coiba's Special Marine Protection Zone. See Coiba by boat.
- Las Perlas: fishing is allowed, but nets, surface and bottom longlines, scuba fishing and harpoons are banned. Rubber-band spearguns for non-commercial sport fishing are the exception.
- Guna Yala: no fishing for visitors; buy fish and lobster from the Guna, in season.
- Marine parks and refuges such as Bastimentos, Golfo de Chiriquí and Isla Iguana: assume no fishing unless MiAmbiente tells you otherwise. The list is in Panama's protected marine areas.
- Canal waters and ship anchorages: stopping to fish near the channel puts you in the way of ships.
Your practical starting checklist
- Check whether the water you plan to fish is in a park, refuge, Las Perlas or Guna Yala.
- Ask ARAP which angler's carné each person aboard needs from 10 December 2026, and confirm the fees.
- Rig circle hooks for natural bait and plan to release every billfish in the water.
- Check ARAP's current closures, especially lobster and shrimp, before each season.
- Keep only what you will eat, within the bag limit, and never sell the catch.
- Carry the licences with the boat's papers for a SENAN boarding.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing licence in Panama?
From 10 December 2026, Executive Decree 9 requires sport-fishing licences issued by ARAP. The drafts proposed a carné for every angler over 12. Confirm the final requirements and fees with ARAP.
Can I keep a sailfish or marlin in Panama?
No. Billfish are catch-and-release. Keeping one at a tournament or for a record needs prior written ARAP authorization.
When is lobster season in Panama?
On the Caribbean side, lobster is closed from 1 March to 30 June, and tails under 14 cm are illegal all year. In Las Perlas the closure runs from 1 December to 15 April.
Can I sell fish I catch on my own boat?
No. Sport fishing in Panama is defined as fishing without selling the catch. Selling it needs a commercial ARAP licence.
¿Qué necesito para pescar en Panamá?
Desde el 10 de diciembre de 2026, una licencia de pesca deportiva de la ARAP según el Decreto Ejecutivo 9 de 2026. Los peces de pico se liberan siempre, y la pesca está restringida en Coiba y otras áreas protegidas.
En español: pesca en Panamá
La Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá (ARAP) otorga las licencias de pesca y fija las vedas. Los Decretos Ejecutivos 9 y 10 de 10 de junio de 2026 regulan la pesca deportiva y la de peces de pico, y entran en plena vigencia el 10 de diciembre de 2026. La pesca deportiva no permite vender la captura. Marlines, pez vela y pez espada se liberan siempre. La langosta del Caribe está en veda del 1 de marzo al 30 de junio, y en Las Perlas del 1 de diciembre al 15 de abril. En Coiba solo se pesca en las zonas autorizadas por el plan de manejo, y en Guna Yala los visitantes no pueden pescar.
The next question to answer
Licences, grounds and billfish rules for operators. Read Fishing charter business in Panama.
Permits and fishing zones in Panama's biggest marine park. Read Coiba National Park by boat.
Which parks and refuges are closed to fishing. Read Panama's protected marine areas.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Finding Current Fishing Licenses, Seasons and Limits.
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- ARAP: consultation draft, Executive Decree on sport fishing (Nov 2025) ↗
- ARAP: consultation draft, Executive Decree on billfish (Nov 2025) ↗
- La Estrella de Panamá: Decrees 9 and 10 of 2026 take effect 10 December 2026 (secondary, press) ↗
- ARAP: 2026 spiny lobster closure inspection request (14 cm tail rule) ↗
- ARAP: shrimp closure, second period 2026 ↗
- Ley 18 of 2007, Las Perlas management zone: gear bans and lobster closure (Justia copy) ↗