Dialogue, joint action, and efficient monitoring and surveillance are at the core of a regional peer exchange workshop organized by Fundación PACÍFICO, to be held in Panama.
From August 19 to 22, 2025, Panama will host the Regional Peer Exchange on Legal, Sanctioning and Coordination Capacities to Address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR). The event will bring together more than 50 representatives from Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama, with the goal of strengthening regional coordination and building joint strategies to improve legal and operational responses to this crime that threatens marine biodiversity and the sustainability of fisheries resources.
Over four days, during the workshop titled “Regional Peer Exchange on Legal, Sanctioning and Coordination Capacities among Competent Authorities of the CMAR to Address IUU Fishing”, multisectoral delegations will work on real cases, legal gaps, technological monitoring tools, and legal mechanisms to enhance law enforcement at sea. The agenda includes keynote lectures, simulations, legal analysis exercises, roundtables, and the drafting of a joint roadmap.
“It is a pleasure for me to welcome you today on behalf of our President, José Raúl Mulino. Panama has taken concrete steps to combat illegal fishing and has successfully protected over 54% of our territorial waters. But I must also say that we face a powerful and serious fishing mafia operating in many of our countries, often attempting to infiltrate authorities and local communities, sometimes harming our fishers regardless of their good intentions. That’s why I want to emphasize that we are united here today with a shared objective: to strengthen our efforts to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the tropical Pacific,” stated Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of Environment of Panama.
Navarro added:
“International cooperation is critical, but it depends on national efforts. We can collaborate globally to eliminate this cancer from our part of the world—but only on the firm foundation of committed national action. Our message today is: let’s confront these criminals with full force—within our countries and together across the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor.”
Jair Urriola Quiroz, Executive Secretary of the CMAR, emphasized:
“Protecting marine biodiversity requires more than good intentions. It requires strong institutions, harmonized laws, and cross-border cooperation. This workshop will strengthen those three essential pillars.”
From Fundación Pacífico, Zuleika Pinzón, Project Coordinator, stated:
“The event also aims to build a region better equipped to process maritime offenses. We want to promote a peer-to-peer dialogue that enhances coordinated action, both nationally and regionally. This effort is part of a broader strategy to reinforce law enforcement and reduce impunity for illegal fishing.”
Alonso Fraire, Latin America Program Manager at WildAid, one of the key partners in organizing the workshop and implementing the project, stressed:
“Effective marine governance relies on strong legal frameworks supported by efficient monitoring and enforcement. This event—and the projects we lead in the CMAR countries—represents an ambitious commitment to link both fronts and lay the foundation for more effective ocean governance.”
The workshop will feature the in-person participation of high-level legal and technical experts from the four CMAR countries, along with presentations from NOAA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as contributions from the Joint Analytical Cell (JAC) and Fundación MarViva. The event will also receive support from international legal experts and partner organizations such as WildAid, OceanMind, and the Joint Analytical Cell.
This initiative is part of the Project to Strengthen Monitoring, Control and Surveillance in the CMAR, funded by the Bezos Earth Fund and implemented by Fundación Pacífico in collaboration with strategic partners. It also receives co-financing from a WildAid project supported by the Government of Canada, aimed at protecting marine resources and strengthening coastal communities in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
The Project to Strengthen Monitoring, Control and Surveillance in the CMAR aims to support the four member countries in improving the effectiveness of marine protected area management and biodiversity conservation, contributing to efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Thanks to the support of the Bezos Earth Fund, the project is implemented by Fundación Pacífico in collaboration with WildAid, OceanMind, and the Joint Analytical Cell – JAC (IMCS Network, GFW, TMT, Skylight, and C4ADS).
