Argentina’s navy has seized and boarded an illegal Chinese fishing boat that was seized within 12 miles of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), local media reported on Wednesday.
The incident is the latest known incident of Chinese fishing vessels trespassing into South American waters, a recurring problem that has seriously affected local fishing resources and the regional economy.
Argentina’s newly sworn-in President Javier Millay speaks outside Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garrero)
Argentina Ministry of Defense sources Said newspaper La Nación The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when Argentine authorities spotted a Chinese fishing boat traveling slowly about 19 miles west of the EEZ. The vessel had its Automatic Identification System (AIS) disabled, in violation of regulatory regulations for vessels operating in the area.
The Chinese vessel was spotted by an Argentine patrol boat while on a mission near the border between Chubut and Santa Cruz, where squid are harvested.
“While tracking, [the vessel] Until then, the Argentine warships did not respond to their calls. [it reached] Just over 200 nautical miles. “They are already in international waters and have begun communicating in broken English,” a Defense Ministry official said. La Nación.
“When called by radio phone, it increased its speed, turned on its identifier and chose a direction away from our jurisdiction,” the source continued.
Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, April 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
chinese ship reportedly The ship refused to be inspected after Argentine authorities threatened to file formal charges to force the ship to dock in an Argentine port, but eventually agreed to do so. Argentine authorities reportedly found no evidence of recent fishing activity on the Chinese fishing vessel.
Chinese Embassy in Argentina claimed According to information handled by the embassy, the Chinese fishing vessel posted on social media that there were “no signs of illegal fishing and it is currently conducting normal activities in international waters.”
After the incident, Argentina’s Defense Minister Luis Petri I participated Monitoring and patrolling Argentine waters.
“Active management of exclusive economic zones is aimed at preventing illegal fishing by foreign vessels and stopping the plundering of our nation’s precious natural resources,” a social media message published by the Department of Defense said. it is written like this.
Aesthetic control does not restrict economic activity, but rather eliminates criminal activity through natural acts and prevents criminal activity. pic.twitter.com/gYsOg3yxHS
— Minister Defensa (@MindefArg) March 27, 2024
Argentina, like other Latin American countries, is a repeated target of Chinese fishing vessels that sail into the region’s waters for illegal fishing, greatly endangering local fishing resources.
report published In February, it accused illegal Chinese fishing vessels of harming Argentina’s native species such as squid and Patagonian greenlings.separate report published In 2023, it highlighted that in addition to the threat of illegal Chinese fishing vessels, the Chinese Communist government has acquired several Argentine fishing companies in order to profit from local fishing.
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From Jay Tarriera/PCG, Storyful
Last week, a Chinese fishing boat Daian was found It was transporting 163 tons of Patagonian greenlings, in clear violation of local fishing laws. Patagonian greenlings are a highly protected species by local authorities and require a special fishing permit to catch them. He is one of only three companies that currently owns it. Chinese ships were not one of them.
The incident triggered anger Provided by licensed local fishing companies. A cargo of Patagonian greenlings reportedly confiscated According to Argentine authorities, imposed fined $130,000 for Daian container.
In 2016, Argentine coast guard authorities tracked him down. sank Chinese vessels are identified as: Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 It was discovered that the company was operating illegally within the exclusive EEZ area. Since 1986, Argentine authorities have seized 80 foreign-flagged fishing vessels, 12 of which were Chinese.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
