Chinese State-Subsidized Vessels Near South America Raise Concerns About Illegal Fishing

Chinese State-Subsidized Vessels Near South America Raise Concerns About Illegal Fishing
An artisanal fisherman lifts his 200 metre-long fishing net on the Parana River, off the coast of Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, on Aug. 23, 2021. Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images
Danella Pérez Schmieloz
Updated:

Hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels fill the seas near the maritime borders of South American countries. While appearing modest, the fleet of small fishing vessels is among an armada of ships financially supported by the Chinese regime, with a portion potentially involved in illegally fishing other nation’s territorial waters.

Off the coast of Argentina, some of these ships are reported to turn off their mandatory tracking devices at night to fish illegally within other nations’ exclusive economic zones.