Protect the Islands.

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If you witness activities that are harming the environment or appear to be in breach of Panamanian law, you can report it to the appropriate government authority. One Agency called 311 in Panama is a single contact point for all violations, but you can also report directly to the Government department associated with the incident. Environmental protection is a shared responsibility. Accurate, respectful and well-documented reports help authorities investigate potential violations while ensuring that legitimate activities are not unfairly accused.​

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Different agencies are responsible for different types of violations. Providing clear information, photographs, dates and the exact location can help authorities investigate.

 

Panama's 311 Citizen Service Center (Centro de Atención Ciudadana 311)  

www.311.gob.pa 

311@gob.pa

Telephone 311 (free within Panama)

 Panama's 311 Citizen Service Centre provides a single point of contact for many government complaints, reports and service requests. Many environmental concerns can be reported through 311, although urgent incidents may also be reported directly to the relevant government authority. 311 is an excellent reporting portal. However, wildlife emergencies, pollution incidents and environmental damage requiring an immediate on-site response may be dealt with more quickly if reported directly to the competent authority as well.

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• Deforestation & Burning: Illegal tree logging, clearing of protected mangroves, and unauthorized land burning. 

• Water & Sewage Pollution: Black water or grey water discharge, sewage overflows into local water sources, and illegal pipe leaks. 

• Waste & Illegal Dumping: Accumulation of garbage in public spaces, trash dumped illegally in mangroves or beaches, and toxic waste disposal.

• Wildlife & Eco-Damages: Poaching, wildlife, destruction of protected habitats, or project developers violating Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).

• Public Health Risks: Severe mosquito breeding sites requiring community fumigation, and prolonged foul odours near schools or residential sectors

• Public Works & Infrastructure: Potholes, damaged street signs, broken streetlights, graffiti, and sidewalk damage.

• Environmental & Sanitation: Missed trash collection, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, and leaking fire hydrants.

• Public Health & Safety: Noise complaints, stray or dangerous animals, and code violations (like mosquito breeding sites or unkept properties)

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Before Reporting

If it is safe to do so:

• Take photographs or videos.

• Record the location (GPS if possible).

• Note the date and time.

• Record vehicle registration numbers or company names where relevant.

• Keep copies of any reports or case numbers.

Clear, factual evidence greatly assists the authorities in investigating complaints.

Emergency situations

If there is an immediate danger to life, a serious accident or an environmental emergency, contact the appropriate emergency services before submitting a routine complaint.

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What happens after I make a report?

• ​Receipt of the complaint.

• Site inspection.

• Collection of evidence.

• Decision on whether a legal breach appears to have occurred.

• Administrative action, stop-work orders, fines, restoration requirements, or referral for further proceedings where appropriate.

• Not every report results in enforcement action, and investigations can take time.

 

Urgent Environmental Incidents

​If safe to do so, report these incidents immediately to 311 and/or the relevant authority.

• Mangroves actively being cut

• Coral being dredged

• Oil or fuel spills

• Turtle nests being destroyed

• Wildlife trafficking

• Large-scale pollution

• Active dumping into Mangroves, rivers or the sea

• Large-scale vegetation clearing or tree felling associated with development projects may require environmental approval or an Environmental Impact Assessment, depending on the project and applicable legislation.

• Burning toxic waste (Plastic, treated timber, pressure-treated lumber, painted wood, varnished wood, polystyrene, etc) 

• Suspected permit violations​

• Septic or wastewater concerns

• Reef or coral destruction

 

Who do I follow up with?

311

311@gob.pa

Telephone 311 (free within Panama)

Email info@311.gob.pa

Any and all violations can be reported or followed up here.

 

MiAmbiente

Head office

miambiente.gob.pa

correspondance and tracking enquiries 

Isla Colon

Telephone (+507) 500-0855

Regional Office for Bocas del Toro is located in Changuinola

+507 758-6603

email lmiller@miambiente.gob.pa​

​MiAMBIENTE is Panama's principal environmental authority and is responsible for environmental protection, wildlife conservation, forests, protected areas, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and environmental enforcement.

• Forests

• Native forest clearing

• Illegal logging

• Tree felling

• Wildlife

• Wildlife trafficking

• Illegal hunting

• Turtle nests

• Marine

• Coral

• Seagrass

• Mangroves

• Fuel pollution

• Beach sand extraction

• Construction over the sea

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ARAP (Aquatic Resources Authority)

ARAP contact and address details

National Headquarters

 (+507) 511-6000

 info@arap.gob.pa

Bocas del Toro Regional Office

 Palacio de la Gobernación, 1st Floor, Isla Colón

 regionalbocasdeltoro@arap.gob.pa

Bocas del Toro field technicians at +(507) 6613-4467

email at regionalbocasdeltoro@arap.gob.pa

Changuinola branch directly at +(507) 758-1967

 

ARAP regulates fisheries, aquaculture and the sustainable management of Panama's aquatic resources.

Illegal fishing

• Fishing inside protected areas

• Commercial fishing violations

• Destruction of aquatic resources

 

 MINSA Ministry of Health

Ministerio de Salud – Región de Salud de Bocas del Toro

+507 758-6715

Dedicated Complaint Hotline: Call +507 750-0443

You can file a complaint in person at the local health authority offices at Hospital Guillermo Sánchez Borbón on Avenida H Norte in Bocas Town.

• Sewage discharges

• Grey water disposal

• Septic tank failures

• Mosquito breeding caused by poor sanitation 

• Unsanitary waste disposal

• Public health nuisances

• Sewage entering rivers or the sea

• Public health hazards

• Unsafe drinking water

• Restaurant sanitation concerns

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MOP

Provincial office +507 750-0131.

bmartinez@mop.gob.pa

Changuinola +507 758-8249.

Panama City +507 507-9400 email at info@mop.gob.pa

MOP is responsible for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of Panama's national road network and associated infrastructure. This generally includes national roads, bridges, drainage systems and, where they form part of MOP road projects, sidewalks and cycle lanes.

• Potholes

• Damaged bridges

• Blocked drains

• Sidewalk maintenance

• Cycle lane maintenance

• Landslides affecting national roads

• Blocked culverts

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AMP Panama Maritime Authority

Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)

National Headquarters

(+507) 501-5000

 info@amp.gob.pa

Bocas del Toro Port Office (Isla Colón)

 (+507) 757-9447

• Construction over the sea with suspected environmental permit or approval violations.

• Suspected unauthorized docks

• Suspected unauthorized marinas

• Illegal dredging

• Navigation hazards

• Unauthorized structures over the sea

• Maritime concession issues

 

ASEP

Phones: (507) 750-0024 or (507) 750-0078

Regional Toll-Free: 800-3683 (Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro)

National Toll-Free: 183

Email: atencionalusuario@asep.gob.pa

Poor electrical service.

Utility disputes.

Service quality.

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IDAAN

Bocas Town, Isla Colon +507 758-3204

WhatsApp & Chat: +507 6860-0278 for assistance and leak reporting.

(507) 758-1903 or (507) 758-1904 for billing and local water dispatch.

After-hours emergencies dial 311 

Panama City at +507 523-8570.

Only if the property is connected.

Responsible for:

• Public water supply

• Public sewerage systems

Not private wells or private septic systems.

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SINAPROC

Bocas del Toro,  (+507) 750-0378 

national toll-free emergency line at 911.

Changuinola, (+507) 520-4447 or (+507) 520-4454

Responsible for:

• Natural disasters

• Landslides

• Flooding

• Emergency response

Not routine environmental enforcement.

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​Bocas Municipality

+507 750-0830

https://www.facebook.com/alcaldiadebocas/?locale=es_LA

Receiving complaints, investigating matters within its jurisdiction and taking enforcement action where authorised by law.

Zoning and Land Use: Designing municipal urban plans and directing local land usage, provided they do not infringe upon national protected terrain. 

• Local Permits and Taxes: Granting or denying municipal building and commercial operation permits based on local codes. 

• Localized Environmental Policing: Investigating and penalizing local community nuisances such as excess noise, burning of trash, and improper municipal waste disposal.

• Citizen Grievance Channeling: Receiving local environmental complaints from citizens and formally escalating macro-violations directly to MiAMBIENTE. 

• Public Area Upkeep: Managing urban parks, green spaces, public or communal municipal lands, and local reforestation programs within cities.

• local taxation,

• municipal land use within their district

• Municipal construction permits and business licences (where required under municipal regulations)

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FIRE DEPARTMENT (BOMBEROS)

https://www.bomberos.gob.pa/estaciones/zona_regional/bocas-toro/

emergency response from the fire department (Bomberos) in Bocas Town, dial 103

Isla Colón Fire Station (Estación Fabio Bravo) directly at 757-9274, 750-0807, or 750-0808

Approves:

• Fire protection systems

• Emergency exits

• Occupancy requirements

• Commercial buildings

• Hotels​

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Fire Safety Approvals (DINASEPI)

Approvals, Permits & Ventanilla Única

Safety certifications, zoning approvals, structural blueprints, and building occupancy permits are handled digitally or via regional extensions. 

• Bocas Regional DINASEPI Offices: Dial the local regional hub at 504-6760 and use Extension 1602 or Extension 1605 to speak directly with regional safety inspectors. 

• Digital Construction Permits: You can skip the physical office by using the DINASEPI Online Platform. This system handles blue-print approvals (visado de planos), minor work authorizations, temporary electrical permissions, and final occupancy certifications. 

• Ventanilla Única Integration: Major subdivision projects route directly through the unified institutional platform. For multi-department national questions, you can contact the central engineering window at 512-6465 (Ext. 1151 / 1086) or contact the general administrative help desk via email at informate@bomberos.gob.pa.

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MIVIOT

https://sinia.gob.pa/ministerio-de-vivienda-y-ordenamiento-territorial-miviot/

Isla Colón. Municipal Palace, upper floor579-9200-579-9400 ext. 5353/5361/5351/ 5352/5354/5357/5358

Direct Planning Contacts: Call headquarters extensions 7257 or 7261, or email your queries directly to oterritorial@miviot.gob.pa

Digital Submissions: General institutional inquiries or digital platform issues can be routed via email to info@miviot.gob.pa

MIVIOT works closely with municipalities and other authorities on planning and urban development, but additional approvals may still be required from other government agencies.

Responsible for:

• Land use (zoning)

• Urban planning

• Subdivisions

• Large developments

• Review of urbanization plans through the national "Ventanilla Única" system

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ANATI National Land Administration Authority

Changuinola branch directly at +507 750-0035 or +507 750-0038.

https://www.anati.gob.pa/

Responsible for the administration of public lands, cadastral surveys and property titling.Property boundaries

• Surveys

• Rights of Possession

• Public land

• Coastal land administration

• Titling enquiries

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MIDA

Phone: 507-0600 Head Office Panama City

Phone: 758-1890 Isla Colon

Agriculture, livestock, crop health, soil conservation, sustainable farming:

• Starting a farm or agricultural business.

• Raising livestock.

• Crop diseases or pests.

• Agricultural permits or technical assistance.

• Soil conservation and sustainable farming advice.

 

This handbook is intended to help residents and visitors identify the appropriate authority for environmental concerns. Submitting a report does not necessarily mean a law has been broken. Government authorities will assess the available evidence and determine whether any legal or administrative action is appropriate.