Argentina has imposed a record fine on a foreign vessel flying the Vanuatu flag after detecting it engaged in illegal fishing within Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Using the Guardacostas electronic monitoring system, authorities from the Prefectura Naval Argentina identified the vessel Xinrun 579 operating in restricted waters on January 5, 2025. The ship, reportedly Chinese but registered under Vanuatu as a flag of convenience, was tracked and confirmed to be fishing illegally. The company later admitted fault and paid the fine, including all operational costs of the enforcement. This marks a historic first — the world’s first electronic-based sanction for illegal fishing — and establishes a major international precedent in protecting marine resources through advanced surveillance technology.

The following timeline highlights key incidents and international concerns from 2017 to 2025 involving Vanuatu-flagged vessels and other “flags of convenience” linked to illegal or unregulated fishing in international waters, especially around Argentina and the South Atlantic.

🗓️ Timeline & Key Incidents

▪️ January 5, 2025 — Argentina

The Xinrun 579, a Chinese-owned vessel flying the Vanuatu flag, was electronically detected by the Prefectura Naval Argentina fishing illegally inside Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

It became the first-ever electronic-based sanction for illegal fishing.

The vessel’s operator later admitted fault and paid fines and operational costs.
(Source: Pescare, March 2025)

▪️ 2024 — South Atlantic “Milla 201” Zone

Reports from Seafood Media (Jan 2024) and Argentina’s Fisheries Directorate indicated that several Vanuatu-flagged vessels were present just outside Argentina’s EEZ, near the 201-mile limit, engaging in unregulated squid (calamar loligo) fishing.

Argentina raised concerns that these ships—alongside Chinese and Korean fleets—used Vanuatu’s open registry to avoid enforcement.

▪️ 2023 — EU Yellow Card Warnings

The European Union issued formal warnings (“yellow cards”) to Vanuatu and Fiji for insufficient monitoring of distant-water fleets and weak action against IUU fishing under their flags.

The EU cited that vessels flying Vanuatu’s flag were repeatedly involved in unlicensed operations in international waters and near African and South American coasts.
(Source: ICSF / EU Fisheries Commission, June 2023)

▪️ 2019–2021 — FAO Compliance Reviews

FAO Port State Measures Agreement reports (2019–2021) noted Vanuatu’s limited enforcement capacity and lack of vessel-tracking data for foreign-owned ships registered under its flag.

Many of these vessels were operated by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Spanish companies fishing in high seas areas near Argentina and the Falklands/Malvinas region.

▪️ 2017–2018 — Global Flag-of-Convenience Concerns

Investigations by the Environmental Justice Foundation and Global Fishing Watch (2018) highlighted Vanuatu as one of several small states whose flags were commonly used by illegal operators in the South Atlantic, the Western Pacific, and West Africa.

The registry was attractive because it offered low fees, quick registration, and minimal oversight, often masking vessel ownership.

⚠️ Overall Issue

Vanuatu’s open-registry system has made it vulnerable to misuse by distant-water fleets—especially Chinese-owned fishing companies—operating in or near foreign EEZs like Argentina’s. While Vanuatu earns revenue from ship registration, its limited enforcement capacity has drawn repeated criticism from the EU, FAO, and regional fisheries organizations, as it allows vessels to use the Vanuatu flag as a shield against stricter regulation.