Fishing licence worldwide
Fishing licence in Panama: what anglers need
From December 10, 2026 a new decree applies in Panama: everyone aged 12 and over needs a personal fishing card (carné) from the authority ARAP, from shore or boat. Visitors pay 20 balboas for 7 days. Marlins, sailfish and other big game fish are catch and release only.
Checked on 15.10.2026 against official sources. Not legal advice.
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Do you need a licence for sea fishing in Panama?
From December 10, 2026 everyone aged 12 and over who sport fishes in Panama needs a personal ARAP card, on paper or digital with a QR code. The fisheries law already requires an ARAP licence today.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9 vom 10.06.2026, Art. 5 und 40, Gaceta Oficial Nr. 30543 E
Do you need a licence for freshwater fishing in Panama?
The card also covers rivers and lakes. For inland waters the decree names peacock bass (sargento) and tarpon as target species. The decree does not apply to the Panama Canal and its watershed.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9/2026, Art. 2 und Anhang III (abgerufen 15.10.2026)
How much is a fishing licence in Panama?
Foreigner card: 7 days 20 balboas (B/.), 30 days B/. 60, 180 days B/. 150. Nationals and residents: free under 18, adults B/. 30 for 2 years or B/. 65 for 5 years. These fees apply from December 10, 2026.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9/2026, Art. 16 und Anhang IV (abgerufen 15.10.2026)
Where do you buy a fishing licence for Panama?
You can apply through an ARAP digital platform, at the one-stop counter (Ventanilla Única) or at regional offices. Foreigners are to receive the card online immediately and can have it validated at authorised marinas. ARAP has six months (extendable) to set up the platform.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9/2026, Art. 6, 17 und 36 (abgerufen 15.10.2026)
What about children, teens and seniors?
Everyone aged 12 and over needs the card. For ages 12 to 17 a parent signs the application and shares liability.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9/2026, Art. 5 und 6 (abgerufen 15.10.2026)
What applies to visitors from abroad?
Non-resident visitors apply with their passport. If you fish on an authorised charter boat you need no card of your own; the captain's card covers you. Occasional companions who neither plan the trip nor use their own gear are not in breach either.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9/2026, Art. 5, 6 und 7 (abgerufen 15.10.2026)
Which catch and take-home rules apply?
Eleven species are reserved for sport fishing and are catch and release only, including all marlins, sailfish, roosterfish (pez gallo) and cubera snapper. Exception: one swordfish or one tarpon per boat per day may be kept. A boat may keep no more than 25 fish per day, a charter boat 15. Sharks and rays are off limits, and selling the catch is prohibited.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 9/2026, Art. 18 bis 21 (abgerufen 15.10.2026)
What else should you know?
Billfish are also covered by Decree No. 10: circle hooks only with natural bait, keep the fish in the water, do not lift it out for photos. Fishing without a card costs B/. 50 from shore and B/. 100 from a boat. Both decrees apply from December 10, 2026.
Source: Decreto Ejecutivo Nr. 10 vom 10.06.2026, Art. 12 bis 15 und 31
Official licence pages by state or region
Each state or region sells its own licence. These are the official agency pages.
- Ganz Panama (ohne Panamakanal)ARAP, Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de PanamáYes: from December 10, 2026 a foreigner card (7, 30 or 180 days); none of your own on authorised charter boats.
We did not find official information on fees and how visitors buy a licence until December 9, 2026; we have not read the current rule (Resuelto ADM/ARAP No. 002 of 2012). We have not yet seen the digital platform in operation. ARAP may add minimum sizes and further limits per species by resolution.
Do you know more or have an official source? Let us know.
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Sources (1)
Not legal advice. Rules and prices change; the linked authority and the local water permit are what count. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].
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