What is happening in Mile 201 off Argentina?

A large, unregulated fishing fleet, primarily from China, is overfishing squid, threatening the marine ecosystem and workers.

Which countries are involved in the Mile 201 fishery?

The fleet is dominated by Chinese vessels, with significant participation also from Taiwan and South Korea.

What are the environmental impacts of fishing in Mile 201?

Overfishing threatens the squid population, which is crucial food for whales, dolphins, seals, and other marine species, potentially destabilizing the entire ecosystem.

Home / Environment / Space-Visible Fleet Plunders Marine Riches

Space-Visible Fleet Plunders Marine Riches

6 Jan

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Summary

A massive Chinese-dominated fleet fishes in ungoverned waters off Argentina.
The unregulated fishery threatens the entire South Atlantic ecosystem.
Vulnerable workers face abuse, cruelty, and debt bondage at sea.

Space-Visible Fleet Plunders Marine Riches

An immense fishing fleet, visible from space and dominated by Chinese vessels, is currently engaged in the large-scale plundering of marine life in Mile 201, an unregulated area of the South Atlantic off Argentina. This distant-water fleet exploits a regulatory vacuum, leading to unsustainable squid fishing that threatens the entire marine ecosystem. Experts warn that the collapse of the squid population could trigger cascading ecological disruptions, with significant social and economic consequences.

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) highlights that three-quarters of the squid jigging vessels are from China, with activity surging by 65% between 2019 and 2024. This unchecked operation also facilitates severe human rights abuses, including physical violence, wage theft, and debt bondage among the crews. Reports suggest deliberate killing of seals and other marine megafauna, with vulnerable workers enduring excessive hours and little rest.