Panama's wildlife rules come from two agencies. The Ministerio de Ambiente (MiAmbiente) runs the protected areas, including Coiba National Park, and sets whale and dolphin watching rules: a minimum of 250 m from whales with calves and a 15-minute limit, 100 m from dolphins, no circling, chasing or sudden speed changes. The Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá (ARAP) licenses fishing, sets closed seasons and regulates sport-fishing operators. Humpback whales are in Pacific waters from roughly June to October; Las Perlas, the Azuero coast and the Gulf of Chiriquí are the main grounds, and the Bahía de Panamá itself sees them.
The three questions: how close can I get to whales, what do I need to enter Coiba, and do I need a fishing licence on my own boat. Distances are above. Coiba requires a MiAmbiente entry payment, made through its online reservation system, plus park rules on moorings, landing and fishing zones. Fishing rules depend on whether it is sport or commercial and whether anyone pays; confirm current licence requirements with the ARAP rather than assuming the Florida model.
This collection will cover whale-watching rules in Panama, Coiba National Park by boat, Panama's protected marine areas, fishing licences and seasons (ARAP), turtles, dolphins, rays and boats, reef and anchoring protection in San Blas and Portobelo, mangroves and seagrass in Panama Bay, Chiriquí and Bocas, and reporting injured or stranded wildlife. The Las Perlas and Taboga guides are live now.
The Florida FWC wildlife sub-hub is the twin: manatee zones and FWC licences there, humpbacks and MiAmbiente here.