MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine catches fourth jigger poaching.

A Chinese jigger was arrested early this week by the Argentine Coast Guard allegedly poaching in Argentine waters.

According to Coast Guard sources the "Zhonz Yuan Yu I" was intercepted with 160 tons of frozen squid and three tons of fresh squid on deck.

The jigger was captured by "Prefecto Debres" patrol vessel "inside Argentine jurisdictional waters, 199 miles east of Comodoro Rivadavia".

This is the fourth jigger arrested in Argentine high seas in the last ten days according to the Coast Guard.

Apparently on sighting the Chinese jigger in Argentina's EEZ, the Coast Guard vessel ordered the jigger to stop engines but instead it tried to escape to international waters.

"Given the situation, patrol vessel "Prefecto Debres" appealed to intimidation tactics", and seven miles later "Zhonz Yuan Yu I" stopped its engines.

A boarding party found over 160 tons of frozen squid in the hauls and three of fresh squid on deck.

The Chinese jigger is being escorted to Comodoro Rivadavia where it will face formal charges for illegal fishing.

So far this season the Argentine Coast Guard has arrested four jiggers: two Taiwanese, on Spanish and now the Chinese flagged.