The Islas Secas Foundation

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The Islas Secas Foundation safeguards marine biodiversity and strengthens ecological resilience in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriquí.

As an affiliate of The Moore Charitable Foundation, the Islas Secas Foundation is proud to partner with conservation non-profits who advance our mission through scientific research, sustainable fisheries, ecosystem restoration, protected area advocacy and management, and environmental education. Please read about important area impact.

Restoring Panama’s Mangroves

  • Restoring 1,800 hectares of mangroves by 2028, boosting climate resilience and biodiversity.

  • Working with local communities in Playa Zapotal and Laguna de las Lajas through PNUD’s nature-based solutions framework.

  • Engaging four local schools in mangrove planting and care programs.

  • Supporting Panama’s carbon offsetting initiative grounded in wetlands conservation.

Aulas Verdes: Educating Future Stewards

  • Expanding environmental education to Chiriquí public schools for the first time.

  • Training teachers and students to lead community stewardship projects.

  • Creating learning opportunities that foster lifelong appreciation for wetlands and wildlife.

Protecting Marine Ecosystems Through Science and Policy

  • Guiding marine spatial planning with local authorities and fishing communities.

  • Launching FEPACOIBA, a cooperative of 90 fishers and tourism operators promoting sustainable practices.

  • Leading the national “Shark-Free Ceviche” campaign, protecting juvenile hammerhead sharks.

  • Promoting cooperation across agencies for responsible resource management.

Long-Term Whale Research

  • Identifying 1,000+ individual whales over 20 years of research.

  • Conducting annual surveys documenting 143 whale groups in 2023 alone.

  • Capturing rare underwater footage offering new behavioral insights.

Protecting Sea Turtles

  • Advancing Law 287 of 2022, recognizing Nature’s right to exist and regenerate.

  • Creating the Saboga Wildlife Refuge within the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor.

  • Conducting satellite-tagging and education programs to protect key nesting beaches.

Advancing Ocean Transparency

  • Making Panama’s fisheries more transparent and traceable.

  • Strengthening enforcement of Marine Protected Areas.

  • Improving collaboration among regulators through open-access ocean data.

Defending Panama’s Coral Reefs

  • Supporting the passage of Panama’s Coral Law (2022) — the first of its kind in Latin America.

  • Securing immediate protection for coral reefs and associated species.

  • Supporting ongoing enforcement and integration of coral protections into development and fisheries planning.

Building Knowledge and Capacity

  • Supporting blue whale migration studies in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

  • Expanding biodiversity training for Panamanian university students.

  • Backing the Coibita Research Station within Coiba National Park.

  • Contributing to global research on marine megafauna and tropical ecosystems.

Coral Restoration and Monitoring

  • Monitoring reef health around Islas Secas.

  • Establishing a baseline for coral recovery programs using herbivores to manage algae.

  • Conducting long-term research on coral cover, algal density, cryptic fish, and ocean conditions.