Photo: Stockfile/FIS
Only those who owe a lot fear so much
PERU
Sunday, June 04, 2023, 01:00 (GMT + 9)
Historically, countries have resorted to arms to defend sovereignty over their natural resources. Thanks to the progress of humanity, there are other actions that can be taken for this purpose. This is precisely what happened through Supreme Decree 016-2020-PRODUCE, with which Peru, in the face of repeated complaints from artisanal fishermen about the invasion of foreign vessels that preyed on our squid, took a firm step to prevent such looting estimated at 50 thousand tons per year.
The regulation requires foreign vessels that capture straddling hydrobiological resources outside the maritime domain of Peru and intend to be served in its ports, to previously install the satellite tracking device (SISESAT) of the Ministry of Production and to share with the control center, its digital positioning of the last six months. In this way, we can verify that these boats do not fish illegally in our waters.
Chinese jigger fishing for giant squid (Photo: file)
The legal device had the virtue of reducing the number of entries of this type from more than 200 a year to less than 20, after its promulgation. Only 5 have complied with installing the satellite equipment. As Eloy Aroni, a representative of the Artisonal organization, puts it, “The foreign squid fleet is further obscuring their offshore fishing activities with a subsidized fleet and it seems they are not willing to let another government see it.” Only those who owe a lot fear so much.
Chinese-flagged vessels went from having more than one hundred and fifty arrivals in 2019 to ten in 2021. Since the entry into force of the Supreme Decree, on August 28, 2020, until December 2022, there were 27 forced arrivals of Chinese fishing vessels to port Peruvian. Before the promulgation of the norm, the authority does not keep a record of calls of ships from the Asian country under this modality. Chance?
According to the Uruguayan journalist and researcher, Sabina Goldaracena, the ZHE PU YUAN 98 jigger was the most frequent visitor due to forced arrival, with a third of the income from Chinese-flagged vessels according to this modus operandi, which is reserved only for extreme causes of force majeure.
Photo: archive
In 2022, she racked up half of that fleet's suspect entries. They always requested medical assistance for sick and injured crew members, according to what was declared in the informative protests to the National Port Authority (APN). It should be noted that the forms and inspections do not follow a pattern, nor would they meet the requirements of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO). Something is rotting 17 thousand kilometers from Shanghai.
The artisanal fishermen and the various media point out that there is tenacious pressure from the Chinese diplomatic delegation towards the government of Peru, to repeal or distort this regulation, which has been the only one that has been able to stop the invasion of voracious jigger boats. on our coastline. The owners of these large ships do not want to be controlled nor do they believe in transparency. The country must stand firm against such imperialist claims.
Chinese jigger fisherman trying to handle giant squid (dosidicus gigas). Photo: archive
We must make our sovereignty enshrined for the States by the Law of the Sea prevail, and that is why this truly pernicious fleet is obliged to comply with our internal rules while they are within our 200 miles, which does not collide with the universally protected freedom of navigation . The country is vigilant and attentive, our authorities must comply with their constitutional obligation or, otherwise, God and the Nation will sue them.
Author/Source: Alfonso Miranda Eyzaguirre / Expreso
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