Development of an Integrated Coastal Management Plan for the Gulf of San Miguel, Darién Province, Panama

The Inter-American Development Bank is funding this project through the Republic of Panama’s Program for the Sustainable Development of the Darien. A project team from the University of Miami and Arden & Price Consulting (Panama) is working with Panama’s Directorate of Marine and Coastal Resources (Panama Maritime Authority) to 1) assess the state of marine and coastal resources in the Darien and the socio-economic organization of those peoples who utilize these resources and 2) develop a Coastal Resources Management Plan in conjunction with the users of the resources and the local and national authorities.

The Gulf of San Miguel (Darién) is a frontier area of Panama where roads are only beginning to reach. Most of the 10,000 residents in the small villages surrounding the Gulf are “afrodarientas” and Emberá native peoples. Extensive mangrove forests (400 km2) surround the 1,760 km2 area of the Gulf of San Miguel. Its waters are one of Panama’s principal fishing zones, providing approximately 75 percent of the nation’s shrimp landings. Over 1,000 artisanal fishers extract prawns from the Gulf, as well as finfish and shellfish. They also compete with Panama’s industrial shrimp fleet for this prime product. Despite the frontier nature of the area, most of the shrimp catch is exported by small plane to Panama City and subsequently to New York by container through a series of intermediaries. Catches have decreased significantly in recent years and evidence exists that the Gulf’s resources are currently overfished. This project is describing the state of the marine resources in the Gulf of San Miguel, the social organization of fishers, and the institutional arrangements of government regulators. It will suggest actions that all the actors can implement to promote increased sustainability of the activities in the region.