The Chinese flagged jigger Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010. (Photo: Prefectura Naval Argentina)

Prefecture sinks a Chinese jigger fishing illegally

ARGENTINA
Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 21:10 (GMT + 9)

A Chinese jigger fishing illegally within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in Argentina was sunk on Monday afternoon after being chased by a coast guard vessel of Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA).

The fishing vessel Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010, having the Chinese flag, was detected while fishing off the coast of Puerto Madryn (Chubut Province), in Argentine waters.

Given this situation, the PNA made use of the deterrence protocol for the jigger to stop and for the Coast Guard vessel crew to go aboard it.

According to Prefecture, repeated calls by radio frequency (in Spanish and English), followed by audible and visual signals were performed to make contact with it. But the ship did not respond, and turned off its fishing lights and began fleeing into international waters.

Then, the protocol for the protection of fish resources was used, and considering the refusal of the fishing vessel to receive the crew onboard, threatening shots were implemented, which also failed to stop it.

The PNA ensures the offending vessel tried to hit the coast guard vessel GC- 28 Prefecto Derbes on several occasions, so "the order was to shoot different sectors of the ship and damage was caused to it."

When the captain finally stopped sailing because the vessel was beginning to sink, the crew abandoned it while the Prefecture Coast Guard vessel approached to help them.

The Derbes rescued four crew members, including the captain, while the rest boarded one of the fishing vessels escorting it.

This incident follows another similar one that occurred earlier this month, when another Chinese ship was caught while fishing illegally in Argentine waters. At that time, the fishing ship escaped after being chased by members of the Prefecture and took refuge later in Uruguayan waters.

The case is now at the Federal Court of First Instance of Rawson, and both the Argentina Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Consulate were informed of what had happened.

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print