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Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
China Dominates ‘Dark' Network Behind Global Fishing Crisis
A new report exposes the sophisticated networks propping up Chinese squid fleets accused of illegal fishing off South America. These activities-often carried out with Automatic Identification System (AIS) trackers turned off, or "dark"-are undercutting local fishers who depend on regional marine resources for their livelihoods, according to Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit C4ADS. The rising demand for seafood and dwindling local stocks have pushed fishing fleets farther from home. The vessels now operate in international waters for months-even years-at a time, virtually unmonitored, increasing the risk of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and labor abuses. China and Taiwan account for about 60 percent of distant-water fishing, and Chinese vessels in particular have faced growing scrutiny for allegedly operating illegally within South American exclusive economic zones, prompting rising grassroots pressure to tighten enforcement and close regulatory loopholes. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese embassies in Paraguay and Uruguay with emailed requests for comment. The abundant stocks of jumbo flying squid and Argentine shortfin squid have attracted distant-water fishing fleets to the coasts of South America. A report released Tuesday by the C4Dfound that 69 percent of squid jiggers operating off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts share ownership with ships allegedly involved in illicit activities, or vessels of concern. While these operations are theoretically under the oversight of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO), enforcement is often spotty. The situation is even more tenuous on the Atlantic coast, which lacks a comparable fisheries management framework. Monitoring these vessels is challenging because of extended periods between port calls. Complicating matters further are sophisticated networks of onshore and offshore actors who facilitate illicit operations by obscuring catch data, obfuscating labor abuses, and lobbying to maintain lax regulations, according to C4ADS. A variety of offshore support vessels is crucial to sustaining these industrial squid fishing operations over extended periods. Refrigerated cargo ships, or "reefers," transfer catches, equipment, supplies and crew between vessels, allowing fishing ships to cut down on port visits, where they may be subject to inspections, and obscure the origin of hauls. Reefers then typically offload catches at ports in states that are not party to the Port State Measures Agreement, a treaty aimed at blocking illegal fishing vessels from offloading their harvest. Enforcement is further hindered by relatively lax regulations. Unlike other distant-water fishers restricted to interacting with SPRFMO-authorized vessels, squid jiggers are only required to report transshipments within 30 days and provide operational details quarterly. Chinese firms have a significant presence in this sector. Nearly 90 percent of transshipment events involving distant-water squid jiggers were linked to Chinese-owned reefers, with just 15 ships accounting for 72 percent of these interactions. All 15 operated under flags of convenience, registering under foreign nations in order to mask Chinese ownership and reduce oversight. Tankers also play a key role by refueling these ships and allowing them to remain at sea for longer periods. Unlike reefers, tankers are typically not required to report encounters with squid jiggers. Additionally, owners of tankers supplying fuel to squid fishers are not mandated to register these vessels within fleets that directly contact fishing vessels, creating a regulatory gap that enables support with a minimal record of activities. Support vessels referred to as "floating offshore fishery bases" by C4ADS also bolster these operations. These are squid jiggers that have adopted multifunctional roles, providing logistics, operational coordination and limited medical care. These ships not only extend time at sea but also help conceal labor abuses. While hospital ships have traditionally supported distant-water fishing, the report focuses on those registered solely as fishing vessels, whose activities extend beyond medical aid. While much of the squid fleet's activity plays out at sea, critical support also comes from land. Two key land-based sectors help sustain these operations, sometimes enabling illicit behavior in the process. Port agents act as an important link between vessels and local authorities, managing logistics and relaying operational details. Yet the same access that facilitates oversight can also be used to shield questionable practices from government scrutiny, C4ADS wrote. Insurance providers also play a role. Many underwrite high-risk vessels despite ties to IUU fishing, forced labor or sanctions violations-offering a financial cushion that helps these operations continue. Insurance claims themselves can sometimes offer a clearer picture of crew movement and health than data from vessel tracking systems, per the report. Sara Nix, C4ADS natural resource security analyst, told Newsweek: "The distant water squid fleet relies on a global network of enablers, from port agents to tankers, that allow operations to continue largely unchecked. "What's shifting the tide is growing grassroots pressure, especially in Peru and Argentina, where squid is vital to food security and local economies. "As squid landings decline, whether due to climatic variations like El Niño, overfishing, or IUU activity, frustration is mounting. Local fishers and civic groups are increasingly demanding stronger oversight, not just of foreign vessels but of the opaque systems that enable them to operate with impunity." Related Articles China Alarms US Ally in Disputed WatersUS Ally Sends Strong Warning to ChinaMap Tracks Chinese Aircraft Carrier Near US AlliesChina Says US Violated Trade Truce With Three Moves 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Daily Tribune
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
'We are the Oceans'
From 9 to 13 June 2025, France will be hosting the third United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (UNOC, or United Nations Ocean Conference). For this crucial event, some 100 Heads of State and Government will converge, as well as tens of thousands of researchers, scientists, economic actors, activists and citizens from around the world. On this occasion, France's aim will be clear: protecting the oceans through tangible action. It is, indeed, through concrete actions that we can protect the ocean. France, a pioneer in marine protection, is taking decisive action. The first French marine reserve was created in 1941 (the Leprédour Island Nature Reserve in New Caledonia). One-third (33.4%) of France's maritime area is now covered by at least one marine protected area. Globally, France supports the goal of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, compared with 8.4% today. Bahrain is also fully committed to this goal. We welcome, for example, its commitment to quadruple mangrove coverage by 2035. In February 2025, Bahrain joined the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) to combat illegal fishing and committed to implementing regulations to protect marine biodiversity. These commitments were renewed by the highest authorities during Regional Environment Day on April 24. The oceans belong to all of us. They feed and protect our peoples. They inspire dreams and enable travel. They offer sustainable energy, means to trade, resources and infinite scientific knowledge. One in three people relies on the oceans for their livelihood, yet the oceans are in danger. They remain little-known, with neither global governance nor the financing needed for their preservation. The numbers are worrying: more than eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year, according to a study in Science. Moreover, more than a third of fish stocks suffer overfishing, while ocean acidification, rising sea levels and the destruction of marine ecosystems gain pace, as direct consequences of climate change. We must act now. More than ever before, we must make sure that multilateral action is equal to the challenges of protecting the oceans. Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement, which established a binding global framework to limit climate change, the third United Nations Ocean Conference is a historic opportunity. The 'Nice Ocean Agreements' will form a genuine international compact for conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, fully in line with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. To this end, the talks in Nice need to be very operational and action-focused, aiming for better governance, more financing and greater knowledge of the seas. When it comes to governance, the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) is essential. The high seas, which represent more than 60% of the oceans, are currently the only space not governed by international law. The lack of oversight and common rules is causing a real social and environmental disaster, with massive hydrocarbon and plastic pollution, illegal and unregulated fishing techniques, and the taking of protected mammals. To end this legal vacuum, we need the BBNJ Agreement to be ratified by 60 countries, so as to come into force. France submitted its instrument of ratification of the BBNJ Agreement to the United Nations on February 5 and encourages all countries that share the desire to protect the ocean to do the same. The protection of the oceans also requires public and private financing and support for a sustainable blue economy. To continue enjoying the incredible economic opportunities offered by the oceans, we need to make sure marine resources can regenerate. In Nice, several commitments will be announced for global trade, shipping, tourism and investment. Lastly, how can we protect what we know not – or know insufficiently? We need to enhance our knowledge of the oceans and share it better. Today, we are capable of mapping the surface of the Moon or of Mars, but the depths of the oceans – which cover 70% of Earth's surface – remain unknown. Together, we need to put science, innovation and education to work to better understand the oceans and raise public awareness. In the context of ever faster climate change and overexploitation of marine resources, the oceans are not just one more issue: they are everyone's business. We must not forget our shared responsibility in the context of challenges to multilateralism. The oceans join us all together and are central to our future. Together, we can make the third United Nations Ocean Conference a turning point for our peoples, for future generations and for our planet.
