Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned it British-flagged fishing vessels operating “illegally in the waters surrounding South Georgia”with an unauthorized license issued by the United Kingdom and outside the multilateral framework” that governs activities in the area.

According to a statement released by Palacio San Martín, “Fishing in these waters has been regulated since 1982 by the Antarctic Marine Life Resources Conservation Commission (Ccrrvma), a multilateral organization consisting of 26 member countriesincluding Argentina and England”.

“For this season it is impossible to adopt a size that allows fishing Patagonian fish species in Georgia. British fishing is therefore against the regime from that CCAMLR for 40 years managed to avoid overfishing and ecosystem destruction Antarctica Sea”, detailed in the document.

Argentina “unequivocally rejects, bilaterally and multilaterally, this unilateral action by the United Kingdom, which is serious violation of the rules of the Antarctic Treaty System“.

“Faced with this illegal situation, Argentina has taken decisive action in defense of the multilateral regime and defended its national position regarding Malvinas question“, added the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He argued that the country “recently reaffirmed its position at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, the main Antarctic forum meeting this year in Berlin.”

Argentina also urges all CCAMLR Members to avoid marketing the product of illegal fishing.

“Instead, the CCRVMA Executive Secretariat was asked to include these British-flagged vessels on its list of vessels involved in illegal fishingunreported and unregulated (IUU), which requires support from other Members in the process”, is indicated.

Lastly, “Argentina reiterates its rejection of the UK’s unilateral actions, to the extent that such actions violate the CCRVMA regime and are inconsistent with the principles of Antarctic cooperation and good faith that characterize the Antarctic Treaty System. As well, Argentina demands an immediate halt to this illegal fishing“.