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Opinion Piece: Overpricing, Conflict of Interest, and Corruption in Fishing (Part 2/4)

ARGENTINA
Saturday, January 17, 2026, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

In the previous Note, we focused on potential conflicts of interest and/or incompatibilities that could result from the actions of the former Director of INIDEP and current Director of Research at that Institute, Otto Christian Wöhler. In this writing, we will move forward regarding his controversial role in the awarding of the construction of the research vessels Víctor Angelescu and Mar Argentino, as well as that of other actors who intervened in the process of awarding and constructing these vessels in Spain—projects that could have been carried out in domestic Shipyards.

This official allegedly led the bidding, awarding, and delivery process of these vessels. His role included signing official documents and managing operational aspects.

The vessel Víctor Angelescu was reportedly awarded with his signature via a memo dated June 30, 2016, and in October of that year, he even visited the Shipyard “to inspect progress.”

Opening of bids held at the institute's headquarters with the presence of its director, Otto Wöhler, and Ramón Basanta, representing the National Undersecretariat of Fisheries. Photo: Pescare (September 2, 2015)

While we have been unable to find the formal final report from this official—as would have been appropriate, and the absence of which would be sufficient grounds to challenge the bidding process regarding the preference for manufacturing in Spain—he nevertheless defended the decision in several public statements to «award to the Armón Vigo Shipyard, citing a qualitative leap in technology for fisheries research that was not available locally, thus avoiding delays in technology transfer» (2/2016). «It is the first time “that we have designed” a ship with state-of-the-art equipment» (3/2016). He focused on alleged scientific benefits rather than economic, technological development, or labor considerations.   

In 2024 (Revista Puerto), Wöhler did not question the external construction. In interviews (2016-2017), he «justified the Spanish choice due to the "quality leap" in marine research, access to advanced technologies, and compliance with IDB standards»; however, Argentina had already accessed the construction of research and other complex vessels several times with IDB support. Why did this researcher assume that national shipyards lacked capacity or could not eventually present themselves in association with Italian, German, Finnish, or Chinese companies? An empirical conclusion?

Armon Shipyards: National Undersecretary of Fisheries Tomás Gerpe, Inidep Director Otto Wöhler, and the Executive branch representative at the Federal Fisheries Council, Ricardo Patterson, along with other guests. Photo: PESCARE (October 27, 2016)

The convenience analysis was under his management and, as we shall see, under advisors summoned by INIDEP. In the case of the Ice-Class vessel, could it have been influenced by his academic specialty? Contrary to his opinion, all experts and directors of Argentine shipyards opposed and denounced irregularities. There was not a single researcher—except for the directors we will refer to—who defended the project of building in Spain. For the construction at the Armón Shipyard in Spain, various actors participated who were essential in this task of promoting and awarding the two research vessels, as well as in the very advanced and unsuccessful management to build the oceanographic vessel with Ice-Class capacity. The Judiciary will be the most appropriate body to judge eventual responsibilities and their scope.   

Eng. Luis Eugenio Basterra, in his triple capacity as President of the Agriculture and Livestock Commission of the Chamber of Deputies (2011/2019); later Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries of the Nation (2019/2021); and finally national deputy (2023/2027), could not have been absent from such a major decision. Had the third failed project materialized, it would have implied a payment of 161 million dollars to a Spanish Shipyard by the National State, using an IDB credit, adding to Argentina's tremendous debt.

Padín giving his speech at the inauguration ceremony alongside Minister Basterra (right) and Undersecretary of Fisheries Liberman (left). Photo: INIDEP (February 07, 2020)

At the time of the bid opening for the first tender on September 2, 2015, the National Undersecretary of Fisheries was Dr. Néstor Miguel Bustamante (2015-2017); subsequent heads of this Undersecretariat were Dr. Juan Manuel Bosch (2017-2019) and Carlos Liberman (2019-2023). Although the Federal Fisheries Council—according to its minutes—never intervened in the process, they must have been aware of the awarding and construction of the ships. Those essentially responsible for these awards are the Federal Fisheries Councils (CFP) from 2015 to 2023, some of whose members remain in that body today, including the current Undersecretary of Fisheries, Juan Antonio López Cazorla. The CFP is the body that establishes fishing and research policy (Art. 9 Law 24.922) and it never discussed the construction or awarding of research vessels, nor did it plan fishing development in relation to the need to acquire these vessels abroad. INIDEP (Art. 12 Law 24.922) must manage fisheries research vessels “in accordance with the requirements and policies that are timely established…”. Curiously, the members of the CFP left the political decision in the hands of a few—some of them foreigners.   

A very important role “in the project” is also attributed to Lic. Oscar Horacio Padín, who was a member of the CFP (1999-2011); advisor to Deputy Basterra (2011-2019); INIDEP researcher (since 1980); Director of CIMAS in Río Negro (2014-2020); and during his tenure as Director of INIDEP (2020-2023)—at the instance of Minister Basterra—was one of the managers of the oceanographic vessel “Ice-Class 7” (Pescare, 2/3/2023). By Decree 140/2023, the Executive Branch approved the model contract between Argentina and the IDB for a loan of up to 125 million USD to finance PROSAMA, which included, among other things, the construction of that vessel. This was a decision to build a vessel to operate in polar or sub-polar regions where ice represents a significant risk, a construction that the CFP did not even debate, nor did the business sector; despite having unmet research needs regarding the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone and adjacent sea. A project that, before being finished, was already directed to be built abroad. The change in government removed its alleged essentiality.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) consultant, Andrés Garrett, visited the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) to learn about the Institute's operational capabilities and establish procedures for the building expansion project, construction of an ICE CLASS (ICE 1C) vessel, and creation of sub-branches.   Garrett was accompanied by the representative of the Directorate General of Sectoral and Special Programs and Projects (DIPROSE), Ramón Basanta. He was received by INIDEP Director Oscar Horacio Padín and advisor Dr. Carlos Lasta. Photo: INIDEP (April 13, 2022)

In the 2020 INIDEP Memoirs, Padín «celebrated the incorporation as a "jewel" of the fleet, highlighting the administrative, legal, and financial efforts to build the two vessels in Spain, representing a "quantitative and qualitative step" in fisheries and oceanographic studies.» We would ironically say: “Nothing like thinking that what comes from outside is always better.” Raúl Scalabrini Ortiz exposed this as an inferiority complex: the belief that progress only comes from abroad, that foreign things are inherently better, and that Argentina must submit to foreign models to move forward. Similarly, in port circles, a leading role is attributed to Dr. Carlos Ángel Lasta, former INIDEP researcher; CFP member (2020/2023); advisor to the Administrative Commission of the Río de la Plata Treaty and to INIDEP during Padín’s management; and a participant in meetings with the IDB and the Directorate General of Sectoral and Special Programs and Projects (DIPROSE) where the agreement with the IDB was reached. He has been a key reference in the research-linked sector.   

Likewise, CPN Ramón María Basanta, first as Administrative Director of INIDEP (2016-2021) and later as a representative of DIPROSE, was a key piece in this determination to offshore the construction of the ships. During his visit to the Armón Shipyard (Faro de Vigo, 12/16/2018), he stated: “we finalized the new design a few days ago and now we will have a world-class oceanographic ship (…) Argentina fully trusts Armón.” This obscure agent took responsibility and was wrong about the opinion of Argentines regarding building outside the country. He was not a mere administrative official of INIDEP when the awarding and the projects for the three research vessels were finalized. “Now we are clear that it was worth the trouble,” Eng. Luis Javier Picco would add at that same moment. What “trouble” was this INIDEP Advisor referring to, who appeared closely linked to the Armón Shipyard?

Foto: Faro de Vigo 16 DIC 2018

Basanta, besides being a state official, presided during those years over the company “Garay 1831 SA” with an office at 1831 Garay Street in Mar del Plata (2/8/2017). It is striking that, according to an eyewitness, in May 2021, work was being done in this office «on the plans for the projected Ice-Class oceanographic vessel to—surely—assign the construction to Armón for more than 125 million dollars»; instead of doing so within the proper sphere of INIDEP, as would have been appropriate given the confidentiality of a project that would later be put out to tender. What was an administrative director doing at the launch of the Angelescu in Spain in 2017 alongside scientific director Otto Wöhler?  

According to allegations by Eng. Podetti, Naval Engineer Luis Javier Picco, hired by INIDEP, was a commercial agent for the Armón Shipyard. Under these conditions, his impartiality when participating in the drafting of bid specifications, evaluating offers, and analyzing construction is unlikely. A great connoisseur and active participant in the fishing and naval sector stated: «I affirm that the professional hired by INIDEP is not independent of the Armón Shipyard since, the day before the opening of bids for the coastal vessel tender, he showed me folders with documentation that the Armón Shipyard would present in its technical-economic proposal, which were in the trunk of his personal vehicle. Furthermore, he had no qualms about accompanying Armón Shipyard executives in various commercial actions with local shipyards and even with the authorities of Chubut, as shown in Revista Puerto» (06/09/2017).   

Would this Picco be the same one who «served» as President of the fishing shipowner Makro SA, with several boats in the Rawson yellow fleet, benefited by the Productive Promotion Distribution (FAFP) of shrimp that distributed 5,000 tons until 2028? And, if more coincidences were needed, his company “Luis Javier Picco SA” was located at Av. Julio A. Roca 751, 6th floor, CABA—the same address as the company Mar Perlado (Partes de Pesca, 05/17/2024). On top of everything, he was an Advisor to INIDEP during Padín's management.   

Eng. Raúl Podetti also tells us: «Among thousands of naval engineers in the world, INIDEP selected Juan Luis Sánchez Pastrana from the consultancy “Astur Marine,” who is closely related to Armón. Much of his “advisory” work was performed for the Armón shipyard, which would eventually be selected for the construction of the two INIDEP vessels. This agency relied on a report by Sánchez Pastrana to choose a design "tailor-made for Armón" and disqualify Argentine shipyards.»

The Director of Vessels at INIDEP - National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development, Capt. Gustavo Feduzi, received the president of the Spanish business group Astilleros Armon, Laudelino Alperi Baragaño, pictured with the Director of Administration, Cpn. Néstor Hernández, the Chief of Operations, Tec. Martín Bertello, and Eng. Javier Picco. Photo: INIDEP (November 6, 2019)

Technique and science are contaminated by business to the point that this individual participated in the political definition of giving away Argentina's meager economic resources to the Spanish—resources that, if applied in the country, could have contributed to Argentina's development, generated employment, and sovereignty.   

We leave him for last, but he surely played a central role in the awarding of the vessel construction to the Armón Shipyard in Vigo (Spain). Of course, we are talking about the President of the Spanish business group Astilleros Armón, Laudelino Alperi Baragaño, who was in Comodoro Rivadavia with the alleged intention of installing a shipyard in that city. A man who is an expert in closing deals and transferring funds: «the owners of Astilleros Armón accumulated 85.5 million euros in Switzerland and Luxembourg until 2012 and later transferred their funds to the Pyrenean Principality (…) a Court is investigating an opaque Switzerland-Luxembourg asset structure, and a report questions the origin of the funds» (Gil-Irujo, El País, 07/19/2024). «Justice is investigating businessmen Laudelino Alperi and José Ramón Fernández for possible money laundering with branches in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Panama, the United Kingdom, and the Virgin Islands (…) the businessmen defend themselves saying these funds come from their industrial activities. Currently, Armón is the most important construction group (in Spain) and has been heavily questioned for workplace accidents, 4 of them fatal, and anti-union practices...» (Nortes, 07/20/2024).   

This does not seem like a transparent company that Otto Wöhler, Ramón Basanta, and others acting on behalf of the Argentine State “can trust” by handing over national heritage while simultaneously disqualifying Argentine shipyards.   

The interest—besides British interest—in promoting a Law in Congress destined to approve the Benthic Protected Area “Blue Hole” should also be analyzed. This was used to justify the construction of the aforementioned Ice-Class vessel, although the National Congress did not approve the Law due to various reports that included ours. It was a project that seemed tied to the new construction at the Armón Shipyard for 125 million USD, which, at that time, would have also meant an annual operating cost of around 70 million pesos.

Regarding the acquisition of INIDEP’s “Víctor Angelescu” and “Mar Argentino” vessels, there were several public complaints. These accusations focused on alleged "frauds" in the 2015/17 tenders awarded to the Spanish shipyard Armón Vigo S.A., and on the alleged steering of the specifications—rigged—to exclude Argentine offers. International Tender 1/15 (11/27/2015) to build the research vessel “Víctor Angelescu” was awarded for 28.3 million USD excluding taxes to this Spanish shipyard. The following year (07/08/2016), the tender for the construction of the coastal research vessel “Mar Argentino” was formalized, where the aforementioned Armón Vigo submitted bids for 7 million USD excluding taxes and modifications. 

Transfer and maintenance costs were added, which increased the total cost.   The government tolerates illegal fishing by the Spanish on the high seas and in the Malvinas while purchasing vessels from them. Extraordinary. The officials involved would be guilty of the crime of breach of public duties. Corruption is not just putting a hand in the cookie jar; it is also attacking Argentine interests and national sovereignty. In the next Note (3/4) details of some of the complaints regarding the bidding processes are provided.

Expert in South Atlantic and Fishing.

Former Secretary of State.

President of the Center for Latin American Fishing Studies (CESPEL)

President of the Agustina Lerena Foundation     www.cesarlerena.com     .ar

This article represents the opinion of the signatory. The opinion articles published do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this medium. Fish Info & Services is an independent medium, open to the opinions of its readers. If you wish to publish, contact us at info@seafood.media

Related News:

• Opinion Article: Overpricing, conflict of interest and corruption in the sector (Note 1/4)

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