MSC

The “discovery” of hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels off Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands in July 2020 raised alarm in Western media, in part because of the historical scientific significance of the protected maritime zone. Though the incident caught widespread attention, it was far from the first instance of a Chinese distant-water fleet plying waters far from home — including off South America — a phenomenon which has been ongoing for several years. Though in this high-profile case the Chinese vessels appear to have been operating legally, their practices seemed to be aimed at upholding the letter of the law, not the spirit, in what might be termed “malicious compliance”. Dr. Tabitha Mallory, founder and CEO of the China Ocean Institute and Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington, is a long-time observer of China’s fishing practices, and will discuss China’s distant-water activities, their legality, and what implications they have for Latin America and beyond.