China’s illegal fishing is threatening squid stocks in South America

China’s surge in distant fishing is threatening the squid stocks of South America, reported the Associated Press. As the number of Chinese vessels in the south Pacific increases, environmentalists and seafood importers have grown concerned about the stock of marine life in the region.

The presence of Chinese-flagged ships has increased from 54 active vessels in 2009 to 707 ships in 2020, according to South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO), an organization that oversees fishing in the region.

Similarly, China’s squid catch has increased to 358,000 tons from 70,000 tons in 2009.

During SPRFMO’s annual meeting last week, Ecuador and the European Union proposed to have observers onboard all ships by 2028 in an effort to control illegal fishing. Both countries also proposed that all ships unload their catches in ports only, instead of handing them over to refrigerated vessels.

However, none of the proposals were adopted throughout the meeting.

“This situation cannot be accepted as an outcome,” said CALAMASUR, a group of squid industry representatives from Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador.

The South Pacific is a notoriously lawless area that attracts the seafood industry’s worst offenders, most of which come from China, reported the Associated Press. Last summer, hundreds of Chinese vessels were found fishing for squid illegally near the Galapagos Islands.