New fishing agreement between Chubut and China adds to the one signed with Santa Cruz

The Chubut government has approved facilitating access to ports and logistics for the Chinese fishing fleet, which operates with some 350 boats. The agreement is similar to the one signed by Santa Cruz and raises concerns about the depredation of marine species.

15 de December de 2024 11:53

Chubut Governor Ignacio Torres defended the agreement with China, while concerns are growing over the environmental impact of the Asian fishing fleet in the South Atlantic.

The recent signing of an agreement between the government of Chubut and the Chinese company Hongdong Fisheries sparked controversy . The agreement allows access to ports and logistics for the fishing sector and revives the debate on the presence of numerous Asian-flagged vessels in the South Atlantic , taking into account their implications for predation on marine populations .

The agreement is similar to that previously agreed with the province of Santa Cruz , where a similar initiative also generated controversy.

China's plenipotentiary minister in Argentina, Wei Wang, expressed his commitment to visit Chubut to advance a schedule of actions derived from the agreement, as China seeks to consolidate a "safe corridor" in the region to ensure maintenance services for its fishing fleet .

The issue has immediately come under fire due to accusations against the Chinese fleet of depredation of squid stocks in Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) .

However, the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres , spoke of “the importance of offering assistance to vessels that capture squid, one of the main species exploited in the area.”

"We are faced with the possibility of having a safe corridor and being able to sign agreements for access to fuel, food and maintenance services for those boats that fish squid," the president stressed.

Torres stressed that the objective is to support the operation of the "Chinese fleet," while also showing his intention to attract future investors by highlighting the province's energy, production, industrial and tourism potential.

These rapprochements between provincial governments and China raise national concerns due to the behavior of the Chinese fleet , which, operating with more than 350 ships , is accused of plundering marine species near mile 201 of the Argentine EEZ.

The pact with Chubut already has a precedent . Claudio Vidal, governor of Santa Cruz , also previously signed an agreement with the same company , authorizing Chinese vessels to use ports and other provincial infrastructure in order to “add value to maritime resources.”

The agreements signed in this case include improvements in five provincial ports , the construction of shipyards and the development of new fishing plants , despite the fact that there is parallel opposition due to concerns about the sustainability of Argentine marine resources.

 

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