Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá

What Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá does

Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá (ARAP) is the Panamanian government agency responsible for the administration, conservation, and sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources, established in 2006 under Law N° 44. It is the sole national authority for issuing fishing licenses, vessel permits, aquaculture concessions, and catch capture certificates, and it oversees a fleet of 100+ international fishing vessels and 23 aquaculture concessions. The agency is headquartered in Panama City (Bella Vista) and operates with 11-50 employees under the supervision of the Government of the Republic of Panama.

ARAP's core technology stack consists of four operational platforms: E-Land (an online portal for licensing and services, launched 2023), the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) for satellite-based fleet tracking, the Catch Certification and Unloading System (CCUS) for traceability of catch from sea to export, and SIGA for internal administrative management. Together these platforms digitize the end-to-end regulatory workflow — from license issuance to vessel tracking to export certification. The agency has also implemented electronic capture certificates and online vessel tracking systems since 2019-2020.

ARAP's revenue model is a hybrid of central government appropriations and self-generated fees from licensing, vessel permits, capture certificates, and aquaculture concessions. It serves commercial fishing fleet operators (both domestic and international), aquaculture concession holders, seafood exporters, and small-scale fishermen. The agency participates in seven Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (IATTC, ICCAT, WCPFC, NEAFC, NPFC, SPRFMO, FAO) and maintains technical partnerships with NOAA, JICA, SICA/OSPESCA, and SENAN, which extend its regulatory reach into international waters and trade corridors.

Name

Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá

Legal name

Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá

Website

https://arap.gob.pa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ARAP is Panama's sole statutory authority for managing fisheries and aquaculture resources, regulating 100+ international vessels and 23 aquaculture concessions through digital licensing and traceability platforms. It serves commercial fleet operators, exporters, and concession holders under the Government of Panama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fisheries and Aquaculture Regulation

NAICS

Aquaculture (1125), Finfish Fishing (114111), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAAAO

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAMAI

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

SECONDARYAFAEANAE

Aquaculture & Fish Health Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Health & Veterinary Services

Keywords

• Fisheries management
• Aquaculture regulation
• Catch certification
• Vessel monitoring
• Aquatic resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Bella Vista

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. International Fishing License Fees: ARAP collects fees for issuing international fishing licenses to Panamanian-flagged vessels engaged in commercial fishing and fishing-related activities worldwide.
2. Fishing Permits and Authorizations: Revenue from issuing various fishing permits, vessel registrations, beacon assignments, and compliance certifications for the fishing fleet.
3. Aquaculture Concession Fees: Fees collected from aquaculture operators holding concessions for shrimp farms, fish farms, and marine cultivation operations in Panama.
4. Capture Certificate Issuance: Fees for issuing capture certificates for seafood exports to international markets including USA (NOAA), EU, and other countries.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ARAP is the government regulatory authority responsible for managing Panama's aquatic resources, including fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood trade. It issues fishing licenses and permits, regulates aquaculture concessions, tracks vessels via satellite, certifies catch exports for international markets, and enforces sustainable fishing practices across multiple ocean basins. The agency operates digital platforms for landing records, traceability, and compliance with seven regional fisheries management organizations.

Product overview

ARAP operates as Panama's aquatic resources authority providing a unified regulatory platform for fishing and aquaculture management. The core infrastructure consists of the E-Land electronic landing system (with SIP3 internal management and AMERP user registration), integrated with CCUS traceability and catch certification systems for US and international exports. Supporting systems include the fishing license portal (industrial and artisanal categories), VMS vessel monitoring, price monitoring system, aquaculture concession management, interactive mapping, and fisheries statistics publications. Technical circulars document compliance requirements across multiple international fisheries commissions (IATTC, ICCAT, NEAFC, WCPFC, NPFC, SPRFMO). The organization also maintains observer and electronic monitoring programs for at-sea compliance verification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• E-Land Electronic Landing System (Sistema Electrónico de Desembarque) Electronic platform for recording fishing vessel catch landings, replacing paper-based processes. Used by fishing vessel operators and companies to document commercial catches in Panama.
• NOAA Catch Certificate (Certificado de Captura para Estados Unidos) Catch certificate system for seafood exports to the United States, ensuring traceability and compliance with NOAA regulations against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Used by seafood exporters shipping to the US market.
• CCP Catch Certificate (Certificado de Captura para Otros Países) Catch certificate system for seafood exports to markets outside the European Union and United States. Provides product traceability and official declaration of origin per national regulations. Used by seafood exporters to non-EU/non-US markets.
• International and Industrial Fishing Licenses (Licencias de Pesca Industriales e Internacionales) Online licensing system for managing and issuing commercial fishing licenses for international service vessels including purse seiners, longliners, and support vessels with real-time license status tracking. Used by Panamanian-flagged commercial fleet operators worldwide.
• Artisanal Fishing Licenses (Licencias de Pesca Artesanales) Licensing portal for artisanal fishing operations in national waters, categorized separately from industrial fleet licensing. Used by small-scale artisanal fishermen in Panama.
• Aquaculture Concessions (Concesiones de Acuicultura) Aquaculture concession management system for shrimp farms and other aquatic cultivation operations, tracking contract status, terms, and locations across provinces. Used by aquaculture operators holding concessions for shrimp, fish, and marine cultivation.
• Vessel Monitoring System (VMS / Sistema de Monitoreo de Buques) Satellite-based vessel monitoring system for tracking fishing vessel positions and movements in jurisdictional waters. Mandated for vessels entering Panamanian waters. Used by commercial fishing fleet operators.
• At-Sea Observer Program (Programa de Observadores a Bordo) Program placing trained observers on Panamanian-flagged vessels for catch monitoring and compliance verification per fisheries commission requirements. Used by international fishing vessel operators.
• Electronic Monitoring Program (Monitoreo Electrónico) Electronic monitoring program using cameras and sensors on fishing vessels as an alternative or supplement to human observers for catch documentation. Used by commercial fishing vessel operators.
• Seafood Price Monitoring System (Sistema de Monitoreo de Precios) Price monitoring system publishing seafood market prices for fish, mollusks, crustaceans, aquaculture products, and mixed seafood. Used by industry stakeholders, processors, and researchers for market intelligence.
• Procedure Status Lookup (Consulta de Trámites) Online portal for citizens and businesses to check the status of fishing permit applications and other administrative procedures. Used by applicants processing licensing requests.

Quantifiable outcome

• Active membership in 7 international fisheries organizations ensuring compliance with global fishing standards

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and moderate.

• SENAN (Servicio Nacional de Aeronáutica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP collaborates with SENAN for maritime patrol and enforcement operations. SENAN provides shipyard facilities for ARAP patrol vessels and coordinates anti-IUU fishing operations in national waters.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP works with NOAA for seafood export traceability to the United States. The CCUS system provides capture certificates required for Panamanian seafood imports to the US market.
• SICA/OSPESCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral American Integration System / Organization of the Fishing Sector of Central America. ARAP participates in regional fisheries management under this framework.
• IATTC (Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP manages Panamanian participation in IATTC which regulates tuna fisheries in the Eastern Pacific. Vessels contribute to Regional Tuna Tagging Program (RTTP) financing.
• ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP coordinates bluefin tuna quota allocations, shark conservation measures, and tropical tuna management for Atlantic fisheries under ICCAT frameworks.
• NEAFC (North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP manages Panamanian compliance with NEAFC regulations for Northeast Atlantic fisheries and coordinates compliance letters for vessel operations.
• WCPFC (Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP coordinates Panamanian status renewal and compliance requirements for Western Pacific fisheries including observer programs and VMS requirements.
• IOTC (Indian Ocean Tuna Commission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP manages Panamanian participation and compliance in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries management and quota tracking.
• NPFC (North Pacific Fisheries Commission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP coordinates Panamanian compliance and compliance letters for North Pacific fisheries. Annual status renewals managed through ARAP.
• SPRFMO (South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP manages Panamanian compliance with SPRFMO measures for South Pacific fisheries including VMS and transshipment regulations.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP collaborates with FAO on fisheries statistics, sustainable fishing practices, and international fisheries governance frameworks.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerARAP partners with JICA on fisheries technical cooperation projects and capacity building for sustainable fishing practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NOAA Fisheries: The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fisheries arm. ARAP is directly integrated with NOAA for US export catch certificates, and both agencies perform core fisheries management, stock assessment, and IUU enforcement functions.
• European Commission DG MARE: EU's maritime affairs and fisheries directorate. Comparable role as a fisheries policy and enforcement authority, and ARAP's CCP system is specifically designed to support non-EU seafood exports.
• ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas): Atlantic tuna RFMO where ARAP coordinates bluefin tuna quota allocations and shark conservation measures. Functions as both a peer and partner in international fisheries oversight.
• IATTC (Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission): Regional fisheries management organization for Eastern Pacific tuna. ARAP coordinates Panamanian participation in IATTC and contributes to its Regional Tuna Tagging Program—a direct peer/partner in tuna fisheries governance.
• FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division: UN FAO's global fisheries division. ARAP integrates with FAO ASFIS species codes and collaborates on fisheries statistics and sustainable fishing practices, making FAO a global peer and partner.

Direct peers

• OSPESCA (Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola del Istmo Centroamericano): Central American regional fisheries organization under SICA. ARAP is a direct member and the leading Central American fisheries authority, making OSPESCA a direct peer in regional fisheries governance.
• Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries: Norway's national fisheries management agency. Performs analogous regulatory functions including vessel licensing, catch documentation, and aquaculture concession management—a well-developed template comparable to ARAP's mandate.
• SERNAPESCA (Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura): Chile's national fisheries and aquaculture authority. Performs an analogous mandate to ARAP: licensing, aquaculture regulation, catch certification, and IUU prevention for a major seafood-exporting nation.
• AFMA (Australian Fisheries Management Authority): Australia's federal fisheries management agency. Comparable scope: commercial fishing licensing, quota management, observer programs, and international RFMO compliance for a fishing-flag nation.
• CONAPESCA (Comisión Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca): Mexico's national fisheries and aquaculture commission. Closely comparable as a Latin American government fisheries authority managing licensing, aquaculture policy, and international trade compliance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/arap_panama
• Facebookfacebook.com/OceanFestpty
• Instagraminstagram.com/arap_panama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-blue-sea-farms-panama-s.a.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá