Panama announces the protection of half of its marine space

PANAMA (AP) – Panama announced the protection of 54% of its seas during the inauguration of the global Our Ocean conference which began Thursday in the Panamanian capital with a call for countries to commit to concrete actions to protect the oceans. Among the growing threats are pollution and uncontrolled fishing, which endanger the marine biodiversity and food resources of much of the planet.

Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo has signed an executive decree that almost doubles the protected marine area of ​​this Central American country, with coasts on the Pacific and the Caribbean, bringing the reserve to 54% of all its territorial waters. It is the Banco Volcán area in the Panamanian Caribbean which is added to the protected area of ​​Isla Coiba in the Pacific and which alone already included 30% under protection.

The two-day meeting brings together government leaders, private companies and environmental advocates to discuss commitments to protect the oceans.

Former presidential candidate John F. Kerry, U.S. presidential special envoy for the climate, stressed that “time is running out” for countries to act on the severity of environmental crises, in a policy panel between different actors to strengthen partnerships to achieve ocean sustainability.

Kerry recalled how plastic pollution in the oceans ends up affecting people’s health. And he drew attention to the impact of non-renewable fuels on water. “We need to accelerate the transition to a clean energy future, we need to bring the practices that will bring about the changes,” he said while participating on the panel.

Shortly before, President Cortizo had called for the shared commitments to materialize, to define clear objectives and effective strategies and that this is not only in the political aspect, but also in actions and financial support. .

As a sign of commitment, Cortizo has signed the executive decree that creates the protected area of ​​Banco Volcán, increasing its area to 93,390 kilometers, which is equivalent to 54.33% of its exclusive economic zone on both sides of the isthmus. .

With this decision, a buffering effect of climate change and the protection of Panama’s deep-water marine-mountainous environments and fauna from human interventions are expected. This includes several species of fish and invertebrates with high commercial value, such as lobster, explained the Smithsonian Institute for Tropical Research, in Panama, in a press release.

In addition, it could maintain the connectivity of the migratory routes of oceanic and marine-coastal species in the area that extends along the Caribbean coasts of Jamaica, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. .

According to marine biologist Héctor Guzmán, of the Smithsonian Institution, the Central American country not only guarantees the conservation of its marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of the people who depend on these ecosystems in the future, but it is also positioning itself to lead a much more ambitious regional effort.