Overfishing in the South American Pacific: A threat to endangered species

Photo: San Cristobal Island, Galápagos By: Vaquero Francis Source: Flickr 

According to estimates by the international non-profit environmental organization, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a fleet of over 300 Chinese-flagged vessels transits the Pacific Ocean each year, fishing for marine species for consumption in the Asian market. This fleet of Chinese ships has been accused in the media of violating international maritime protocols, illegal fishing activities, and labor abuse of its crew. In particular, alarms have been raised about the fleet’s activities in the South American Pacific, near the coasts of countries such as Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. According to the environmental organization, illegal overfishing by Chinese vessels threatens the stability of vulnerable ecosystems such as the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

The Argentine foundation, NuestroMar, recently reiterated the concerns surrounding these activities. Specifically, it denounced that the fleets’ economic stability is based on fuel and provisions supplied by Ecuadorian smugglers to Chinese ships. The foundation has also accused the Chinese fleet of violating Ecuador’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Galapagos Islands in order to fish for species found here, such as hammerhead sharks and Humboldt squid. EEZ violations represent a great challenge for the Ecuadorian Navy as Chinese ships employ a series of tools to escape their control including changing the vessel’s name and IMO Code (mandatory for all vessels), and operating without no lighting. Sea Shepherd has denounced that the Pingtan Marine company is engaged in the same illegal activities in Peru and Chile, which are reported to have received multiple subsidies from the Chinese government and credits from the China Development Bank. For its part, China constantly defends its commitment to sustainable development and the environment in international forums and in its bilateral relations with the countries involved.

Lead story:

Loaiza, Y. (2021). Barcos Ecuatorianos abastecen a los buques chinos que depredan con su pesca las especies de las Galápagos. 

Additional sources:

Goodman, J. (2021). Great Wall of Lights: China’s sea power on Darwin’s doorstep.