According to an investigation, they operate in the South Pacific and will cross, as every year, into the Atlantic

Chinese ships sanctioned by the U.S. return to fishing off the Argentine Sea using Chilean ports

ARGENTINA
Monday, August 11, 2025, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

A new logistics hub in Chile allows the Chinese fleet to operate closer to the South Atlantic, after being expelled from Peru for non-compliance with regulations. An investigation by the Center for Environmental Policies, published by Infobae, details how this logistical change facilitates ocean depredation.

BUENOS AIRES – The intense fishing pressure from the Chinese fleet on the South Atlantic is about to increase. An investigation by the Center for Environmental Policies (CPA), carried out by Milko Scharvtzman and published by Infobae, has revealed that Chinese fishing vessels, including some sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department, have established a new logistics hub in Chilean ports. This move comes after Peru implemented strict regulations that expelled them from its ports.

Historically, ports like El Callao in Peru and Montevideo in Uruguay have served as a base for foreign fishing fleets. However, after detecting illegal fishing in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Peru tightened its controls, demanding the use of satellite tracking systems validated by its Navy. The Chinese fleet's response was blunt: the number of vessels entering Peruvian ports annually dropped from over 250 to zero. "Chinese ships preferred to go to Chinese ports, at a cost of a million dollars for the round trip and not fishing for 90 days, rather than paying $150 a month for our tracking system," said Alfonso Miranda Eyzaguirre, former Minister of Production of Peru.

In this context, the Chinese fleet has found a new refuge in Chile. "Since mid-2024, ports in northern Chile, such as Arica and Iquique, have registered an explosive increase in the arrival of Chinese fishing vessels, rising from zero entries in 2023 to 25 in the same period of 2024," the investigation details. This strategic relocation facilitates their stay and exploitation of resources in the Argentine Sea, where every year, around November, hundreds of vessels that have operated in the South Pacific move to continue their activities.

The report warns that this situation poses a serious contradiction for Chile, a country that aspires to be a leader in marine conservation and seeks to host the Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity (BBNJ). "By providing logistical support to a sanctioned fleet for preying on ecosystems and violating human rights, Chile sends a contradictory message," says Scharvtzman. The investigation identified two specific vessels among those calling at Chilean ports, the Fu Yuan Yu 7871 and the Fu Yuan Yu 7872, belonging to owners sanctioned by the U.S. for illegal fishing, forced labor, and sexual violence. These ships received $19 million in subsidies from the Chinese government in 2021 and have been accused of practices such as "shark finning" and using fraudulent identifications.

The Chinese long-distance fishing fleet, with up to 600 vessels operating simultaneously off the coasts of South America, is known for its opacity. The report highlights the role of refrigerated cargo ships (reefers) and tankers that facilitate illegal fishing by concealing the traceability of catches. "89% of these operations are carried out with ships controlled by Chinese companies, even if they sail under flags of convenience like Liberia, Panama or Vanuatu," the study explains.

The logistical support they now find in Chile allows this fleet to continue its massive operations, avoiding the controls of countries like Peru that have prioritized transparency and sustainability

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• The U.S. sanctioned a Chinese jigging vessel operating in South America

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