hundreds of Chinese boats preying on fishing grounds

There are maps that speak for themselves, like the ones has disclosed during the last few days the Ecologist Movement of Peru (MEP), an organization dedicated to the defense of the environment. Last week its managers hung up two satellite maps in which dozens and dozens of colored arrows can be seen crowded together in the Pacific, just off the coast of Mollendo. Each one of them, MEP complaintreveals the position of a Chinese ship that goes to the edges of Peru’s national waters in search of its squid schools.

His presence already has put on guard to local fishermen.

What has happened? That MEP has stirred up an old debate in Peru (and other nations of South America): the impact that the Chinese flag fleet has on the maritime resources of the region. On June 22, the organization published a satellite map online showing the concentration of dozens and dozens of ships just 220 nautical miles off the coast of Mollendo, south of Peru. According to the organization environmentalist, there are around “300 Chinese vessels” dedicated to “exploiting fishing outside the limits” of their national waters.

Just one day later, on June 23, MEP returned to the fray with another satellite map that shows a long trail formed over the Pacific by ship marking points. “Satellite images from June 1 to 19 show that the Foreign Squid Fleet has completed its migration (north-south) along the edge of the Peruvian EEZ,” warned the entity. “Around 400 Chinese fishing vessels are concentrated 220 miles off the coast of Mollendo.”

What is the problem? Basically the number and location of that large fleet of fishing vessels. If MEP is correct, these are hundreds of Asian ships mobilized right on the border of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a region in which the coastal States (in this case Peru) have sovereign jurisdiction, which affects, among other things, their natural resources. The EEZ usually extends 200 miles, which would put the Chinese fishing fleet almost on the edge.

The problem is that, beyond the demarcations drawn in offices or the distances included in international treaties, the Peruvian EEZ is situated in a much larger context: the ecosystem of the humboldt currentmaking that region of the Pacific especially valuable for fishermen.

The UN itself recognizes that it is one of the “most productive areas in the world”, although it has also been warning for years about the serious threat which involves both climate change and the overexploitation of its fishing resources.

What impact does it have? The million dollar question. In 2025 the newspaper The Republic public a report in which he echoed several complaints from Peru’s artisanal fishermen: incursions by Chinese vessels into the EEZ, indiscriminate exploitation of resources and fear that squid schools would be depleted.

“The Peruvian boats go out, but they don’t bring the amount they used to. The Chinese boats prey on the sea, our boats are small, everything is done by hand. On the other hand, they have machines that take the fish faster,” explained to the newspaper Alberto Sánchez, fisherman from Paita, from Lima.

Sailors dedicated to the artisanal capture of Pucusana even have denounced the sighting of large vessels in the 200 miles of the Peruvian EEZ despite the fact that the fleets must transmit their position via satellite.

Is it something new? No. In 2024 MEP already launched a similar complaint. He even shared a map showing the accumulation of Asian ships right on the border of the Peruvian EEZ. “Where is the foreign squid fleet located? How many ships are there? What type of vessels are they and how many are in Peruvian ports?” I questioned the organization.

A few days ago, after its last complaint, the Peruvian Navy (MGP) carried out an exploration flight which confirmed that, at least today, the foreign fishing fleet operates outside the Peruvian maritime domain, 230 miles away.

Does it only affect Peru? No. The debate regarding the presence (and impact) of foreign fishing vessels on the South American coast is not new and goes far beyond Peru, also extending to nations such as Chili. Infoae cites studies that estimate that in 2024, 1,359 vessels will operate in the 500 nautical miles located off the coast of Peru. Of them, 525almost 40%, were ships of Chinese origin, a figure that far exceeds those of other nationalities.

MEP’s warning also comes just a few days after Sustainable Fisheries Partnesihp launched a statement resounding in which they warn of the importance of not overexploiting the region’s resources. Hence, among other things, it requires that any legislative change be supported by a “scientific basis”.

In the specific case of Peru, the agency warns of the registration of around 2,000 new vessels “built outside the legal framework” at a time when “the fishery has captured 83.27% of the quota” planned for this year.

Does context matter? Yes. And not only because of the warnings from environmentalists or the misgivings of the sector. Two years ago the organization The Outlaw Ocean published a report in which he warned that China’s fishing footprint goes far beyond its fishing grounds or Asian flag vessels.

The country also operates in other waters of South America, Africa and the Pacific thanks to ‘flagging’, which basically consists of arranging for a ship to fly the flag of another country and be subject to its legislation… and the right of access to fishing grounds. Although China is a gigantic power fishing and monopolizes a large part of the world catchesits objective is to strengthen its production capacity and meet the high demand within their own country.

Images | MEP and Eddie Mark Blair (Unsplash)

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