Recently, Argentina imposed a fine for illegal fishing of approximately $1.5 billion on the vessel Bao Feng.
The ship flying the Liberian flag was detected operating within the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone, where the State exercises full sovereignty.
The Minister of Security, Alejandra Monteoliva, confirmed the sanction and warned that there will be no tolerance for those who enter national waters to illegally extract resources.
Naval Prefecture detected the vessel conducting illegal fishing and applied the fine
The Coast Guard System of the Argentine Naval Prefecture identified the foreign vessel illegally fishing within the 200-mile mark on January 10.
The vessel remained for more than an hour and a half sailing at speeds below 4 knots, a behavior incompatible with normal transit and characteristic of illegal fishing activities.
“We detected an illegal ship fishing within the 200-mile mark. Thanks to the Coast Guard System, we identified the foreign-flagged vessel. We know who they are and what they were doing,” stated Monteoliva.
The official explained that the technical data collected allowed for a conclusive confirmation of the violation, after which a fine for illegal fishing was imposed on the vessel.
“They were sailing at less than 4 knots in our Exclusive Economic Zone. That means only one thing, they were fishing illegally,” said the minister.
A multimillion-dollar fine as a deterrent measure
The fine for illegal fishing imposed on the Bao Feng reached $1.5 billion, according to official sources.
The amount represents one of the most severe economic sanctions applied under the Federal Fisheries Law.
“They thought we wouldn’t detect them, but that wasn’t the case. We found them and imposed a multimillion-dollar fine,” assured Monteoliva.
In this context, the minister emphasized that maritime control is not sporadic but permanent.
“The Coast Guard System monitors them every day, all year round. Anyone who illegally enters to take our resources will see that there are consequences,” she warned.
How the procedure to detect illegal fishing and fine it was carried out
The operation was carried out through the permanent monitoring of the General Directorate of the Maritime Traffic Management Center of the Argentine Naval Prefecture.
The Subsecretariat of Aquatic Resources and Fisheries of the Nation actively participated in the sanctioning procedure.
The authorities highlighted that the sanction was strictly adjusted to the framework of the Federal Fisheries Law and the defense of national sovereignty.
The case represents a concrete example of effective control over Argentine waters in a context of increasing pressure from foreign fleets.
The characteristics of the procedure:
- Permanent monitoring through satellite technology
- Record of navigation speed below 4 knots
- Vessel’s stay for more than 90 minutes in the EEZ
- Application of the maximum rigor provided by current law
- Economic sanction of $1.5 billion
Official statements reinforce the government’s strategy of combining technological surveillance with severe economic sanctions.
The fine for illegal fishing aims to deter future incursions of foreign vessels into the Exclusive Economic Zone.
The Government reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of marine resources and the sovereign control of the Argentine Sea against illegal fishing activity.
