Image: Global Fishing Watch / FIS

The fishing pressure on the high seas threatens the sustainability of the giant squid and demands urgent coordinated enforcement measures

PERU
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

Fishing sector representatives and experts warn that SPRFMO measures are insufficient given the scale of foreign fleets

The management of the giant squid fishery in international waters of the South Pacific is at a critical point. Governance, enforcement, and artisanal fishing stakeholders from Chile , Peru , and Argentina agreed that the progress achieved at the latest meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) remains insufficient in the face of growing pressure on the resource and the management, enforcement, and sustainability challenges confronting this fishery in international waters.

These reflections took place during the webinar "Progress in Giant Squid Management and Control of Illegal Fishing in the South Pacific," recently organized by CALAMASUR , which brought together actors linked to regional giant squid governance, maritime enforcement, and artisanal fishing in the South Pacific .

One of the main focuses of the meeting was the balance of the latest meeting of the SPRFMO , the body responsible for regulating giant squid fishing in international waters of the South Pacific , held in Panama .

Unresolved Structural Issues in Fisheries Governance

Alfonso Miranda , president of CALAMASUR , maintained that although measures related to data reporting, port inspections, and the registration of artisanal vessels were approved, the main structural problems of the fishery remain unresolved.

Source: Global Fishing Watch

One of the most discussed topics was the 15% reduction in the distant-water fleet, an adjustment that raises deep doubts regarding its real effectiveness in the ocean. In this regard, the president of the organization explained the scenario:

“The Chinese fleet went from 671 registered vessels to 570. However, that does not necessarily mean it will fish less. It will probably continue to fish the same or even more than before. Although the reduction may seem impactful at first glance, in practice it does not decrease the fishing effort that China exerts today with around 550 boats in international waters of the South Pacific.”

Miranda pointed out that a fleet reduction does not guarantee lower extraction levels if it is not accompanied by catch limits, robust scientific assessments, and the effective application of the precautionary approach. Furthermore, he warned that the upcoming meetings of the SPRFMO will be decisive for the future of the fishery.

“The next meeting of the Scientific Committee will be in September, and it already has the mandate to present concrete management proposals. This time there is no excuse to keep delaying decisions.”

The president of CALAMASUR added that coastal countries must arrive better prepared technically and politically for the upcoming international negotiations.

“We cannot settle for watching how other countries reject proposals while the years pass by; we have to act diplomatically long before the meetings of the Commission.”

Photo: Sea Shepherd / YouTube

Alert Over Alleged Incursions and the Role of Technology

The second part of the event featured the participation of Milko Schvartzman , an Argentine specialist in marine conservation and illegal fishing, who presented recent cases of alleged incursions by foreign vessels into the waters of Chile and Argentina , in addition to investigations based on satellite imagery and maritime positioning analysis.

One of the most sensitive points was the recent complaint filed in Chile by the organization FIMA regarding possible illegal operations by Chinese vessels within the Chilean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) , utilizing satellite evidence developed by Schvartzman himself.

“We have quite solid proof that there was extraction of fishing resources within the exclusive economic zone by vessels from the fleet to which Chile provides port support.”

The researcher also highlighted the growing role of technology in maritime enforcement processes, though he clarified that digital tools require operational and human backing on the ground.

“Satellite tools are extremely important and very powerful for the region; they greatly lower enforcement costs. But isolated tools are not enough on their own: training, political will, technical capacity, and physical deployment at sea are required.”

Photo: Milko Schvartzman

Direct Impact on Artisanal Communities

From Chile , Gigliola Centonio , advisor to Alianza Pesca Maule and linked to artisanal organizations, expressed the concern that exists among fishing communities regarding the increasing arrival of foreign fleets at Chilean ports and the rise of fishing effort on the high seas.

“In Chile, the Chinese fleet is perceived as a barrier that prevents the biomass from entering Chilean shores. Furthermore, with the docking facilities it receives in our ports, it becomes easier for these vessels to continue operating in international waters, increasing pressure on the resource and directly affecting its availability for coastal countries.”

The meeting concluded with closing remarks from the president of CALAMASUR , Alfonso Miranda , and a common call: to strengthen regional coordination, scientific evidence, and enforcement capabilities before the upcoming meetings of the SPRFMO to ensure the survival of the marine ecosystem in the South Pacific .

🇯🇵 Japanese

The pressure of the fish in the ocean is huge, the possibility of the threat is high, and the emergency and coordinated measures are required.

Representatives of the Fisheries Department, the Japan Gate Association, and the size of foreign ships are considered. SPRFMO’s measures are not very serious, and the warning is not enough.

The high seas in the South Pacific are a huge fishery management and a crisis situation. Stakeholders in the small-scale fisheries along the coast of the country , the ペルー, the アルゼンチンのgovernance, and the そして coastal small-scale fisheries, and the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) have achieved progress in the near future.は、Resources、High pressure、High seas、Fisheries、Management and banningまり、The subject of the possibility of holding the 続 is not the same as the previous one.

これらのinvestigation, recently CALAMASURによって is the leader of されたウェビナー「South Pacific における huge fish management progress and the elimination of illegal fisheriesまり」の中で行われ,な huge イカの rule in the South Pacificにおける area, maritime control, and coastal small-scale fisheries are related がSET まりました.

The main focus of the meeting, the focus of the meeting , the high seas of the South Pacific , and the hugeイカ Fishery を Regulation す る Responsibility う Agency で あ るSPRFMOの Nearly の Rendezvous の 価 で し た.

The problem of unresolved structure of fishery governance

CALAMASUR 's president, Nikola Fonso Miranda（アルフォンソ・ミランダ）は,データ report, harbor inspection, registration of small-scale fishing vessels along the coast is related to The problems that have been dealt with are recognized and recognized, and the fishery industry is still an important organization.

The most talked about されたテーマの一つは、Ocean-going ship 団の15% reduction であり、これは海における実界のeffectivenessに关してdeepいquestionを生じさせています. The president of the same organization, the president of the same organization, the president of the same organization, explained:

"The number of registered ships in China's fleet is 671, and 570 have been reduced."が reduce ることを means するけではありません. おそらく, former と同様に, あるいはそれ上に catch を.続けるでしょう. Cut off the は一见すると撃的に见えるかもしれませんが, 実界には, 中文がNow South Pacific の公There are about 550 boats in the sea, and the fishing effort has been reduced.

ミランダは, reduction of boat 団のは, catch limit, strengthening な scientific evaluation,そしてpreventive アプローチのThe effect of the application is the application of the fish, the catch of the fish is low and the guarantee is of the fish.さらに,のSPRFMO 's meeting in the future がこのfishery's future にとって's decided なものになるとWARNING しました.

"The scientific committee's meeting in September will be held in September, and the committee will be reminded of specific management projects. This time, I decided to make a decision about the mission.

Chairman of CALAMASUR , Director of future international exchanges of coastal countries, Director of technologyよびpolitical's により好い preparation をして林まなければならないとpayけ加えました.

「What year has passed and the proposals of other countries have been rejected?ん.

Doubt of territorial sea infringement and warning of territorial sea infringement

The second part of the イベントのでは, Ocean Conservation and Illegal Fisheries を専门とするアルゼンチン人専门家のMilko Schvartzman（ミルコ・シュヴァルツマン）がappear on the altarし、チリとアルゼンチンの海区におけるforeign shipのInfringement of suspicion, recent cases, introduction, analysis of satellite imagery, maritime position information, investigation results, table of findings.

The most sensitive point of view is の一つは,シュヴァルツマンown 开発したSatellite certificate 拠をutilize して,チリのexclusive 猌済 waters (EEZ) has not disclosed the possibility of illegal operations of Chinese ships, and the organization FIMA has recently reported the possibility of illegal operations.

「チリがharbor supportをProvide the ship of the ship in the harbor, and it is exclusive in the economic waters. The fishery resources are collected and determined by the fishery resources.

Co-researcher はまた,海淊まりプロセスにおけるテクノロジーのservice cut の拡大を emphasize しましたが,デジタルツールには on-the-spot application surface および talent surface でのri pay けが necessary であると clarification にしました.

「Satellite ツールは, この区にとってveryにimportantかつverystrongにであり, takenり抾りコストをsignificant reduction します. しかし, isolationしたツールだけでは十ではありません. トレーニング, political will, technical ability, そして海でのphysical な无码す」

Direct impact on coastal small-scale fisheries

チリからは, Alianza Pesca MauleのAdvisor であり Coastal Small-Scale Fisheries Organization とつながりのあるGigliola Centonio（ジリオラ・チェントニオ）が、Foreign ship's portへのarrived on the high seasおけるCatching effort のincrease large に対して, fishery コミュニティの间に Existence するsuspense をshow しました.

"チリでは, Chinese shipyards, バイオマス (amount of resources) がチリ Coastal flow into するのされています されています。 Convenience and ease of operation on the high seasり, resources, high pressure, and resource security in coastal countries have a direct impact on なを and えています"

Rendezvous, Chairman of CALAMASUR , Mr. Fonso Miranda (アルフォンソ・ミランダ)による开会の词と, 公公のHUびかけで合めくくられました. The survival of the South Pacific Ocean Ecosystem The front of the meeting, the coordination of the area, the scientific proof, the strengthening of the ability and the strengthening of the ability.

🇨🇳 Simplified Chinese

High seas fishing pressures threaten the sustainability of giant squid, urgently requiring coordinated law enforcement actions.

Fisheries sector representatives and experts have warned that the measures taken by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) are still insufficient given the size of the foreign fleet.

The management of the South Pacific high seas giant squid fishery is at a critical juncture. Governance, enforcement, and small-scale artisanal fishing stakeholders from Chile , Peru , and Argentina agree that the progress made at the latest meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) remains negligible in the face of increasing pressure on the resource and the management, enforcement, and sustainability challenges the fishery faces in international waters.

These reflections were raised at a recent webinar hosted by CALAMASUR on “Advances in the Management of Giant Squid in the South Pacific and Combating Illegal Fishing.” The webinar brought together stakeholders involved in the governance of the giant squid region in the South Pacific , maritime law enforcement, and small-scale artisanal fishing.

One of the main focuses of the meeting was to summarize the latest meeting of SPRFMO (the agency responsible for regulating the fishing of giant squid in international waters of the South Pacific ) held in Panama .

Unresolved structural problems in fisheries governance

CALAMASUR President Alfonso Miranda argued that despite the adoption of measures related to data reporting, port inspections, and registration of artisanal fishing vessels, the fisheries' main structural problems remain unresolved.

One of the most discussed topics was the 15% reduction in the ocean-going fleet , a move that has raised serious questions about its actual effectiveness at sea. In response, the organization's chairman provided a detailed explanation of the situation:

"The number of registered vessels in the Chinese fleet has decreased from 671 to 570. However, this does not necessarily mean that the catch will decrease. They will likely continue to fish as before, or even more. Although the reduction appears dramatic on the surface, in practice it has not reduced the fishing efforts currently being carried out by China in international waters of the South Pacific using approximately 550 vessels."

Miranda pointed out that reducing the fleet will not guarantee a reduction in catch levels without the simultaneous implementation of catch quotas, robust scientific assessments, and the effective application of preventative measures. Furthermore, he warned that the upcoming SPRFMO meeting will play a decisive role in the future of the fisheries.

"The next meeting of the Science Committee will be held in September, and the committee has been authorized to make specific management recommendations. There is no excuse to postpone the decision any further."

The CALAMASUR chairman added that coastal states must be better prepared, both technically and politically, for the upcoming international negotiations.

“We cannot stand by and watch other countries reject proposals year after year; we must take diplomatic action long before the committee meetings.”

Vigilance against suspected intrusion and the role of technology

The second part of the conference was attended by Milko Schvartzman, an Argentine expert on marine conservation and illegal fishing . He presented recent cases of foreign vessels allegedly intruding into Chilean and Argentine waters and showcased research based on satellite imagery and marine positioning analysis.

One of the most sensitive points is the recent lawsuit filed by FIMA in Chile, which uses satellite evidence developed by Schvartzman himself to accuse Chinese vessels of possible illegal operations within Chile's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“We have very strong evidence that the fishing fleet that provides port support to Chile has been extracting fishery resources within its exclusive economic zone.”

The researcher also emphasized the increasingly important role of technology in maritime law enforcement, but clarified that digital tools require operational and human support on land.

“Satellite tools are very important and powerful in the region, and they have greatly reduced law enforcement costs. But a single tool is not enough: we need training, political will, technical capabilities, and physical deployment at sea.”

Direct impact on hand-fishing communities

Gigliola Centonio from Chile (an advisor to Alianza Pesca Maule and closely associated with artisan organizations) expressed the fishing community 's concerns about the increasing arrival of foreign fleets at Chilean ports and the growing pressure on fishing in the high seas.

"In Chile, the Chinese fleet is seen as a barrier restricting biomass access to the Chilean coast. Furthermore, the ease with which these vessels can reach our ports makes it easier for them to continue operating in international waters, increasing pressure on resources and directly impacting accessibility for coastal nations."

The meeting concluded with closing remarks and a joint appeal from CALAMASUR Chairman Alfonso Miranda: to strengthen regional coordination, scientific evidence, and law enforcement capabilities to ensure the survival of the South Pacific marine ecosystem ahead of the upcoming SPRFMO meeting.

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