The Argentine Sea once again becomes, as every December , the scene of the increasing arrival of foreign fishing vessels , mostly from China .
The Asian fleet is establishing itself in the waters adjacent to Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to exploit the marine resources that sustain the region's biomass .
Although their activity is not considered illegal , its impact on migratory species and unfair competition affects sovereignty over the country's fishing resources .
The Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA) reported 60 recent arrivals , mainly from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans , of vessels crossing the Strait of Magellan after having fished in the seas of neighboring countries such as Ecuador and Chile .
By the end of January , more than 500 boats are expected to operate in Mile 201 , where the majority are dedicated to catching squid.
The negative effects of this mass fishing are evident. Leaders of the fishing sector express their concern , pointing out that the commercial practices of the international fleet, which include government subsidies and the lack of compliance with environmental regulations, affect the health of marine ecosystems .
There is also concern that the Chinese fleet has displaced Peru as the world 's leading giant squid hunter .
At the same time, the provincial governments of Chubut and Santa Cruz signed agreements with a major Chinese company to provide logistical support to vessels that plunder our resources before entering the Exclusive Zone.
Although foreign vessels operate under the concept of “innocent passage” when navigating within the first few miles of national jurisdiction , the objective is much more than simply crossing waters.
While illegal fishing incursions into the EEZ are rare , activity at Mile 201 has significant consequences , especially when no-take periods are observed to protect local species.
The “Interdisciplinary Working Team for the Control of Maritime Spaces and their Resources” (Eicemar) identified 783 vessels of interest that “due to their characteristics, behavior, history or navigation patterns justify their monitoring, analysis and/or intervention based on operational, safety, environmental or judicial criteria.”
On the other hand, according to Chief Prefect Sergio Almada , the use of subsidies by these fleets is a factor that allows their profitability . He points out that “without subsidies, it is unlikely that these fleets will be profitable.”
This contrasts with local fisheries , which operate under strict regulations created after the near extinction of hake in the 1990s due to overfishing .
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