Argentina: Concerns Mount Over Offshore Marine Life

Facts

• Politicians and environmentalists from the Falkland Islands have recently raised concerns over resource exploitation in the rich and biodiverse disputed ocean waters known as the 'Blue Hole' just off the coast of Argentina.¹
• The boundary that stretches 200 miles (321 km) from shore designating Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) bisects the Blue Hole. The eastern side lies in international waters and is unregulated; Argentine and foreign vessels harvest this area for its rich marine life.²
• The geopolitical stalemate between Argentina and the UK over the Falkland Islands has further delayed regulation of overfishing. Alex Reid, a squid fishing fleet manager said the political discord has left the Blue Hole vulnerable and a 'free-for-all' for international fleets.¹
• Marine life migrates from the Argentine EEZ to the east for feeding and reproduction. Fishing fleets often wait for the migration to cross into international waters to catch unmeasurable quantities of fish and other ocean creatures.³
• The most sought-after species is the Illex Squid. An estimated 150K are caught legally by Argentine vessels and an additional 600-800K are caught illegally annually in the southwest Atlantic Ocean.⁴
• Fishing operations offshore of Argentina include 'floating cities' of up to 600 ships. 80% of these are identified as originating from the PRC who complete extended stays in the region and often have their fuel costs reimbursed by Beijing.⁴

Sources: ¹Guardian, ²LA NACION, ³The Rio Times and ⁴Diálogo Américas.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by CNN. In March 2023, the UN was successful in getting nearly 200 countries to agree to and sign a global 'High Seas Treaty.' The treaty is meant to provide legal tools to enforce laws and regulations applied to marine fisheries and protected areas against mining, overfishing, and other activities that could deplete the rich biodiversity of the oceans. This is a huge win in preserving oceans and protecting marine life and must be enforced in areas like offshore Argentina.
• Narrative B, as provided by CBS. Despite the signing of the High Seas Treaty, it's very unlikely that such a robust regulation mechanism will be ratified. The treaty must be ratified by 60 countries before implementation can occur. Countries like Russia stand in the way of ratification because, while not blocking the signing, Moscow has clearly stated that it finds the treaty to be 'unacceptable.' Without major nations signing on, there's little hope that others will follow suit, and areas like the Blue Hole will be in peril.

Predictions