A law to protect waves in Panama

Juan Diego Vásquez, a Member of the National Assembly of Panama, presented the draft to create a law that will protect waves suitable to practice sports and establish wave sanctuaries in Panama.

The politician explained via his social media that over the years, Panama has been increasing the number of people practicing water sports due to the natural and marine wealth of the country. 

This preliminary project aims to support athletes by identifying and establishing measures for protecting the marine and coastal environment that in turn boost the economy and tourism of these communities.

Vásquez spoke to the XV Pan American Surfing Tournament which was recently held in Playa Venao.

According to the Panama Tourism Authority, the event generated about $2 million in revenue for the Panama economy and a 100% hotel occupancy in Pedasi.

Read the full PRELIMINARY STAGE document WHICH PROTECTS BREAKING WAVES SUITABLE FOR SPORTS PRACTICE AND ESTABLISHES THE REGIME FOR THE CREATION OF WAVE SANCTUARIES IN PANAMA

Here are the objectives and Content of the Project

Panama has a coastal extension of 2,988.3 kilometers, of which 1,700.6 correspond to the Pacific coast and 1,287.7 to the Caribbean coast. This great length of coastline.

It also translates into a large number of beaches with breaks suitable for practicing surfing and other sports.

Some of the beaches in Panama where these sports are practiced have even hosted national and international tournaments: 

• In Bocas del Toro: Red Frog and Long Beach in Bastimentas, Tiger Tile, and Paunch in Isla Colón, as well as Black Rack in Carenero, among others.

• In Veraguas: the Estero de Santa Catalina, Punta Roca, Isla Cébaco, and Playa Reina in Mariato, among others.

• In West Panama: Punta Chame, Malibú, and Stanley beaches in Gorgona, Teta beach, and El Palmer, among others.

• In Panama: Chepillo Island in Chepo or Las Bóvedas.

• In Colón: Isla Grande, María Chiquita, Isla Mamey, Nombre de Dios in Palenque, among other.

• In Chiriquí: La Barqueta beach, Las Lajas beach, and Silva island, among others.

• In Los Santos: Lagarto beach, El Toro beach, Destiladero beach, and Venao beach, among others.

Given the foregoing, this draft law seeks to guarantee the protection legal and institutional protection of the breaks for the practice of sports such as surfing in Panama.

In this order of ideas, the draft establishes the identification of suitable breaks, their inclusion in a registry, and the duty of monitoring them.

Similarly, the project aims to create the first Wave Sanctuary in the district of Chame.

It establishes the activities prohibited within the said zone and proposes the establishment of a regime for the creation of new-wave sanctuaries in Panama.

In short, this bill will benefit those who practice sports such as surfing through the identification and establishment of safety measures for the protection of breaks, but also in the protection of the marine and coastal environment.