The Argentine Navy revealed the alarming presence of hundreds of fishing vessels, mostly Chinese, near mile 200 of our country's Exclusive Economic Zone.

During the operation called Mare Nostrum I , 380 vessels were detected within a radius of 90 nautical miles , a fact that highlights the impressive magnitude of fishing outside Argentine maritime jurisdiction.

According to estimates by the Undersecretariat of Fisheries, economic losses for Argentina exceed 1 billion dollars annually.

The Chinese fleet , which is considered the largest in the world with more than 17,000 vessels , is constantly subject to international criticism for its questionable fishing practices. These include the depredation of migratory natural resources, the threat to marine biodiversity and the negative impact on the local economy, but also for the exploitation of workers, reaching inhuman and slavery-like conditions.

To monitor and document fishing activity in the region, the Navy used patrol aircraft such as the P-3 Orion and the C-12 Huron , along with the corvettes ARA Robinson and ARA Espora .

The annual extraction of squid by Chinese, South Korean and Spanish vessels is alarming, contributing to the decline of the populations of this species and generating significant economic losses for the Argentine fishing industry.

The Minister of Defense, Luis Petri , stressed the importance of the recent incorporation of new P-3 Orions , which has improved the Navy's maritime surveillance capacity. "With more resources and greater presence, we fulfill our commitment to defend our maritime spaces and ensure that no foreign ship crosses the 200-mile mark and exploits Argentine resources," said Petri.

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