Small island states in the Pacific are opening a new front in the fight against rising seas, to secure rights to an ocean area bigger than the moon that is home to billion-dollar fish stocks.
A total of 62,000 tons of illex squid was taken during the first four months of 2020, which was above the average over the last four years reported the Falklands Islands Director of Natural Resources Dr. Andrea Clausen, at Thursday’s meeting of the Fisheries Committee.
The Argentine Navy sighted and arrested early Monday a Chinese jigger which was illegally operating in the country's EEZ. The report says that the ocean patrol vessel ARA Bouchard detected the Hong Pu 16, fishing with its Automatic Identification System turned off, but full lights on to catch squid.
The Argentine Coast Guard arrested on Sunday a Portuguese trawler poaching in the country's EEZ, and will in the next few hours be escorted to the port of Bahía Blanca where it will face charges.
The Argentine Coast Guard was finally unable to arrest a Chinese jigger operating in the country's EEZ, which managed to escape into international waters, the so-called mile 201. According to the force's report, the patrol vessel GC-27 “Prefecto Fique”, early Tuesday detected and pursued the jigger Lu Rond Yuan Yu 668, some 390 kilometers offshore Puerto Madryn.
Chile's Under secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture, SUBPESCA, and Oceana Chile jointly announced the freezing of the fishing footprint for the common hake and demersal crustacean fisheries. This means that 98% of Chile's exclusive economic zone, EEZ, will be protected from bottom trawling.
Argentina’s Fisheries Under Secretariat confirmed huge fines for three fishing vessels from China and one Spanish which were allegedly caught during the last six months illegally fishing in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone, EEZ off the coast of Chubut province.
The Spanish government believes an “error of appreciation” was committed in the incident involving the Galician trawler “Piscator” captured this week in the South Atlantic allegedly operating in Argentine waters. Spain is hopeful that the situation will be resolved in “coming hours”.
The Argentine Coast Guard arrested on Christmas after fining some intimidatory shots, two Chinese flagged jiggers illegally fishing in Argentina’s South Atlantic Economic Exclusive Zone off the Chubut province coast, according to an official report released Wednesday.
Argentina is planning the incorporation of Chinese jiggers to catch Illex squid next season, a decision rejected by the local fishing chambers but which according to the Buenos Aires financial media is linked to the sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands and surrounding waters.