China’s Fishing Fleet Raises Concerns off Argentina

A drone view shows crew members aboard a squid jigger vessel operating outside Argentina's exclusive economic zone, where foreign fishing vessels, mostly Chinese, operate just beyond the boundary, in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina, January 18, 2026. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
A drone view shows crew members aboard a squid jigger vessel operating outside Argentina's exclusive economic zone, where foreign fishing vessels, mostly Chinese, operate just beyond the boundary, in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina, January 18, 2026. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

On a balmy January night, an Argentine coast guard ship’s radio picked up garbled Mandarin broadcasts from nearby boats.

They were among some 200 Chinese fishing vessels that spend months at a time each year near the South American country’s waters, hunting primarily for catch to feed the world’s largest squid market.

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by Reuters

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