At least there is no water. I don't understand the sticky red stuff though. Certainly not normal
One possibility? Maybe the person who cut the holes originally was going to put eg pour in foam under the tray moulding and then chickened out having started?
It might sound a silly question, but what color is your boat? If it is red/yellow/blue/pink then it was Palamos built one. If white then possibly a later builder. Do you have the HIN, engraved on the std aft gunwale.