Photo: Prefectura Naval Argentina.
This illegal fishing operation took place in Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where Chinese vessels conceal their origin by using flags of convenience, identifying the boats as belonging to countries such as Vanuatu and Cameroon. Recently, a new case emerged when, according to the Naval Prefecture, the Xinrun 579 vessel was detected in Argentine waters between December 5 and 6, 2024. This illegally operating ship was caught on video as it attempted to flee and was flying the flag of Vanuatu.
A fishing expert from the Circle of Environmental Policies confirmed the vessel's origin, who stated that Xinrun 579 belongs to Xinrun Ocean Vanuatu Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Xinrun Ocean Co. Ltd, a company of Chinese capital. In addition to being owned by Chinese companies, these fishing fleets are operated by Chinese officers and subsidized and controlled by the Chinese government.
This is not an isolated case. Since 2020, unauthorized fleets have been reported in the outer edge of Argentina's EEZ, particularly in the "Mile 201" zone, where only vessels flying the Argentine flag are legally allowed to fish. However, the number of cases has increased significantly, and current records indicate that at least 13 Chinese-owned vessels are operating under flags of convenience from other countries to conceal their activities in the region.
So far this year, the use of flags of convenience has increased, and authorities detected the presence of small vessels from previously unregistered countries. The most frequently seen flags on ships in the South Atlantic region belong to Vanuatu, a small Pacific island nation, and Cameroon, a country in Central Africa.
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