Location of the Chinese fishing fleet. Photo: Mindef Ecuador
The Ecuadorian Navy reinforces its deployment in the Galapagos to combat illegal fishing
Erich Saumeth
24 January 2021
Infodefensa.com
The Ecuadorian Navy has reinforced its security monitoring in in the Galapagos Marine Reserve, in the presence of a fleet of more than 410 Chinese-flagged vessel, which carry out illegal fishing maneuvers in the Pacific, which have been publicly denounced by the Minister of Defense Ecuadorian, Oswaldo Jarrín.
Given this, the missile corvette CM-16 Lojas and the coast guard LG-30 Isla de San Cristóbal intensified their patrolling, as confirmed by Infodefensa.com, the vessels would have instructions to act forcefully against the ships that violated the spaces and Ecuadorian marine resources.
400 miles away
Jarrín detailed, through the publication of satellite photographs, that the fishing vessels are located 400 miles from the coast and in the northwestern limits of the Ecuadorian exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In this way, and through the regional Directorate of the Aquatic Spaces and Insular Coast Guard (Dirgin), Ecuador has been permanently monitoring the movements of the vessels, which are near the Galapagos.
It is also noted that the LG-30 is a Damen 5009 type vessel, built by the Ecuadorian Naval Shipyards (Astinave EP) in operation since 2017. It has a length of 50 meters, a width of 9.41 meters, a depth of 4.30 meters , a draft of 3.50 meters, reached maximum speeds of up to 22 knots and with a crew of 26 crew members.
Read the original coverage from Info Defensa at https://www.infodefensa.com/latam/2021/01/24/noticia-armada-ecuador-refuerza-despliegue-galapagos-combatir-pesca-ilegal.html
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