MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No end in sight for Uruguayan fishing conflict

The Uruguayan Chamber of Fishing Industries (CIPU) is reportedly looking to hire non-union workers, adding to the tension

An ongoing fishing conflict in Uruguay, which began in early June 2025, has halted the coastal fleet and left over 2,000 workers jobless. The dispute has led to an estimated loss of more than US$40 million and reduced Uruguay's fishing quota in the Rio de la Plata from 70,000 tons to 35,000 tons for this year.

The conflict centers on a demand from the National Union of Sea Workers and Related Workers (SUNTMA) to add an extra crew member to each vessel to improve rest and working conditions. Spanish company Belnova, which has invested US$15 million in a ship that has been docked for 77 days, claims to be a “hostage” of the union's actions, stating that its vessels already meet the union's demands.

Belnova has also requested the Spanish Embassy's involvement in the matter, pressing Ambassador Javier Salido Ortiz to mediate with Uruguay's Ministries of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries (MGAP), Foreign Affairs, and Labor.

The Uruguayan government has tried to mediate, but negotiations remain stalled. The situation is also being debated in the Senate, where Senators Robert Silva and Graciela Bianchi argue the union violated its collective bargaining agreement by striking without negotiating first.

In addition, Senator Óscar Andrade believes the issue is a regulatory one, suggesting it's illegal for ships to have only one person at the helm.

Nathalie Barbé of the PIT-CNT union states the primary demand is for adequate worker rest and accuses companies of failing to pay holiday bonuses.

With no resolution in sight, the conflict is becoming more critical. The Uruguayan Chamber of Fishing Industries (CIPU) is reportedly looking to hire non-union workers, adding to the tension. While union members are meeting to discuss a possible end to the strike, the ongoing impasse highlights concerns over job stability and worker safety in the fishing sector.