A Navy aircraft detected seven Chinese fishing vessels operating within Chile’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Naval Zone, Commodore Alejandro Torres, specified that a P-295 aircraft from the VP-1 Aeromaritime Exploration Squadron identified the vessels about 320 kilometers west of Puerto Montt. The Commander-in-Chief explained that this operation is part of the permanent tasks of the Fifth Naval Zone, and “on this occasion, emphasis was placed on the control of foreign fishing fleets that, at this time of year, are changing their operational area from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.”
On the other hand, Lieutenant Commander Ricardo Zincke, the commander of the P-295 aircraft, indicated that “oceanic exploration was aimed at controlling and monitoring the fleets in transit heading north.” They detected seven Chinese vessels that were not engaged in fishing activities or prohibited operations in the area. Currently, a significant portion of the Chinese fleet is located off the coast of Argentina, but in the coming weeks, it will stop off the coast of Peru. The objective of the Chinese fleet is intensive squid fishing, a business that generates at least $700 million annually.
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La Nación. Córdova, E. (2023, 10 de mayo). Armada detecta siete pesqueros de la flota china en las costas de Puerto Montt.
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infobae. (2023, 3 de mayo). Chile advirtió por la presencia de pesqueros chinos en la Antártida y vigila con preocupación sus actividades.