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Panama fishermen travel farther offshore amid seafood scarcity, rising costs
🇵🇦 Panama /Economy & Trade

Panama fishermen travel farther offshore amid seafood scarcity, rising costs

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Fishermen in Punta Chame, Panama, are traveling farther offshore due to a scarcity of seafood near the coast.
  • This increased travel requires more fuel, raising expenses and impacting their ability to cover costs.
  • The shortage affects not only catchable fish but also bait like sardines, which must be sourced from distant locations.

Fishermen in Punta Chame, Panama, face mounting challenges as dwindling seafood stocks near the coast force them to venture into deeper waters. This shift significantly increases their fuel expenses, with a single fishing trip potentially costing around $150 for five tanks of gasoline. The limited catch often fails to recoup this investment, leaving many struggling to make ends meet.

We have to go further out because we haven't seen snapper near the shore. Sometimes we can't even pay for the gas.

— Alberto DelgadoA fisherman explaining the increased distances and costs associated with the scarcity of seafood.

Alberto Delgado, a local fisherman, explained the difficult situation. "We have to go further out because we haven't seen snapper near the shore. Sometimes we can't even pay for the gas," he said. While they have managed to bring in some catch, like corvina, the quantities are limited. The scarcity extends to sardines, a crucial bait, which are now expensive and require trips to distant Chitré.

Before, it was five or six miles; now it's 10 or 15 miles offshore to be able to fish.

— Jorge De La CruzA fisherman describing the increased distance required to find fish.

Jorge De La Cruz noted the change in fishing grounds, stating, "Before, it was five or six miles; now it's 10 or 15 miles offshore to be able to fish." He also highlighted the drastic reduction in their hauls, lamenting, "Before, we used to bring five or six baskets of product; now maybe one." This decline directly impacts their income, as their livelihoods depend on the volume and variety of their catch.

Before, we used to bring five or six baskets of product; now maybe one.

— Jorge De La CruzA fisherman illustrating the significant reduction in catch size.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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