While in New York Argentine foreign minister Diana Mondino not only participated in the United Nations Decolonization Committee or C24, claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, but also signed a significant international instrument that should help with the plus 201 mile IUU fishing in the South Atlantic.
The Argentine navy allowed a fleet of 259 Chinese fishing vessels to enter the country's EEZ (Economic Exclusive Zone) to take refuge from a massive storm with seven meters high waves and winds of more than a hundred kilometers per hour. The Ministry of Defense also announced that once the storm was over the Chinese vessels returned to international waters.
Foreign Office minister for the Americas, Caribbean, and Overseas Territories David Rutley has been to the Falkland Islands again this week, the second visit in a month, and in the meantime this did not prevent him from on December 10, to represent the British government in Buenos Aires for the taking office ceremony of Argentine extreme liberal president, Javier Milei.
Argentina's Joint Maritime Command has deployed the ARA Piedrabuena Oceanic Patrol Vessel (OPV) to combat illegal fishing through Operation Grifon XVI in the country's territorial Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Atlantic amid an increase in clandestine operations by jiggers, most of them of Chinese origin.
The legal and political challenges in the South Atlantic fishery, particularly those related to the fishing activities neighboring Argentina's EEZ, and implications of the Falklands/Malvinas Question were the central discussion of a seminar held at the Argentine foreign ministry.
In a joint operation, the Argentine Navy and Coast Guard are monitoring and keeping track of an estimated 300 Chinese fishing vessels that are sailing from the Pacific to the South Atlantic across the Magellan Strait.
Argentina is modifying some regulations regarding squid fisheries. According to Resolution 7 from the Federal Fisheries Council, all jiggers and trawlers involved in squid operations must have at least 20% of their catches processed on land.
The 2021 Argentine squid season. south of parallel 44, takes off next 16 January, according to the country's Fisheries Federal Council, following on the scientific report from Inidep, the national fisheries research and development institute.
Argentine foreign minister Felipe Solá anticipated that the Falklands/Malvinas Islands will be the priority in relations with the United Kingdom, and to protect the South Atlantic fisheries, fines have to be much harsher since now they are ridiculous low.
The Association of Argentine Fishing Industry Chambers has sent an urgent open letter to president Alberto Fernandez complaining about the illegal activity of almost a hundred foreign jiggers in the country's EEZ.