Gulf of Panama

The most popular attraction is the Pearl Islands, with its clear, nutrient-rich water and diverse wildlife drawing many tourists and divers to explore the archipelago.

Since the seafood and nutrients are abundant in the waters of the bay, it has been proven an advantageous place to live for thousands of years, dating back to the late Preceramic Period, around 6000 BC.

The nutrient-rich water draws a significant amount of fish and sea animals to Panama Bay, giving the ancient hunter-gatherers a wide variety to choose from.

Evidence was found that these inhabitants lived mainly off of fish and turtles in the bay, but dolphins and sharks were also exploited for their meat, bones, and oil.

One major problem that researchers found was that it is unclear whether the primitive hunter-gatherers systematically hunted the dolphins, or merely herded them towards the islands until they became beached.

Nonetheless, this is still an important discovery as it is the first Preceramic site identified in the Pearl Islands, as well as the first evidence in Central America that the early inhabitants exploited dolphins for food.

Marine resources in and around Panama Bay are key to many major industries such as farming and fishing, and over 80% of the surrounding population directly rely on them to survive.

The Panamanian Government as well as non-governmental organizations are working towards the conservation of the watershed, but the loose laws towards industry and waste management make this hard to achieve.

This sparked controversy amongst environmentalists, and in 2013 the bay regained protected status under the Panamanian Supreme Court, with the help and support of the Panama Audubon Society.

This action was controversial within the Panamanian Government as the previous president, Ricardo Martinelli, was criticized by environmentalists for his neglect of the destruction of the mangroves in Panama Bay.