Government of Ecuador assures that Chinese company has not submitted a request to build pelagic fishing base
December 22, 2020 – 06:07 AM
Fishing sectors in Manta have objected to the presence of the Chinese fleet fishing near the Galapagos reserve area. Photo taken from Puerto de Manta.
After learning that the China Ocean Group Development company has supposed plans to build a fishing base on the high seas, the Ecuadorian government went on to specify that the firm has not presented an investment project proposal.
The government’s reaction came through the Ministry of Production after the Sea Food Source portal published that that Chinese company signed an agreement to build a fishing base in Ecuador despite tensions between the two countries due to the presence of a Chinese fleet nearby. from the Galapagos reserve.
“China Ocean Group Development has not submitted an investment project proposal,” said Iván Ontaneda, Minister of Production.
That State portfolio added that there are no official requests regarding the intention of that company to build a fishing base on the high seas.
According to the Sea Food Source web portal, China Ocean Group Development Co. signed a memorandum of understanding to build a pelagic fishing base in Ecuador.
The website reports that Paúl Peñaherrera, Ecuador’s commercial counselor in Guangzhou, was at the meeting where this investment was announced.
This newspaper wrote to Peñaherrera through his Twitter account, but there was no response. The official retweeted hours before Minister Ontaneda’s pronouncement.
The Ministry of Production recalled that, in accordance with the Organic Code of Production, projects must be exposed to the Strategic Committee for the Promotion and Attraction of Investment for evaluation and feasibility analysis and communicated to the regulatory authorities.
“When contemplating aspects of the fishing sector in Ecuador, the proposal must be reviewed by the fishing regulatory entity in the country, in order to provide specific information and confirm compliance with current regulations and regulations,” said the Ministry of Production.
Several environmental defenders and unions expressed concern about the alleged interest of that Chinese company in building a pelagic fishing base in Ecuador. The presence of a huge Chinese fleet fishing near the Galapagos reserve has raised concern in recent years about the predatory effect it generates in the archipelago.
Roque Sevilla, a tourist entrepreneur with businesses in Galapagos, was one of those who asked the national authorities for explanations in the face of the apparent presence of an Ecuadorian official at the ceremony in which the investment was announced.
The Vice Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries spoke of the need for permits before approving operations. Bernardo Hidalgo, vice minister of that entity, assured that to carry out the fishing activity in jurisdictional waters, the authorization of the Undersecretariat of Fishing Resources is required after a report from the Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Institute in which it is confirmed that the activity will not affect the resources.
Currently, the governing body for fisheries has decided to establish a moratorium on increasing the fleet and storage capacity in some fisheries in Ecuador.
Read the coverage from El Universo at bit.ly/1222eluniverso
Informing and sharing news on marine life, flora, fauna and conservation in the Galápagos Islands since 2017
© SOS Galápagos, 2021
