Artisanal fisheries in Panama

THEY RANGE FROM GROUPS OF UNORGANIZED INDIVIDUALISTIC FISHERMEN TO HIGHLY ORGANIZED FISHING COOPERATIVES. THE EQUIPMENT USED EXTENDS FROM MOTORLESS DUGOUT CANOES AND HANDLINES TO MOTORIZED FIBERGLASS BOATS AND MONOFILAMENT GILL NETS. AMONG THE CHARACTERISTICS DESCRIBED ARE: NUMBERS OF COOPERATIVE AND INDEPENDENT FISHERMEN; BOATS AND MOTORS USED; TYPES OF PIER/DOCK; EXISTENCE OF COOPERATIVE BUILDING OR STORE AND THE PRESENCE OF RUNNING WATER, ELECTRICITY, ICE-CHESTS, ELECTRIC COLD ROOMS, FREEZERS, FREEZING PLANT, ICE PLANT, DRYERS, AND VEHICLES; TOTAL PRODUCTION; AND LOCAL POPULATION. SMALL GROUPS OF FISHERMEN AND/OR COOPERATIVE REPRESENTATIVES WERE INTERVIEWED, AND DATA FROM THESE INTERVIEWS ALONG WITH OBSERVATIONS AND PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED DATA ARE SUMMARIZED IN THIS REPORT. BECAUSE OF A FAO/BID PROJECT, CONDITIONS IN THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CHANGE A GREAT DEAL. THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF REORGANIZING AND MODERNIZING A NUMBER OF FISHING COOPERATIVES ON BOTH COASTS, AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.