The Argentine state took another step in consolidating its maritime sovereignty by formalizing a multimillion-dollar sanction against the foreign vessel Hai Xing 2. The measure, announced this Friday, August 7, by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Ministry of Economy , imposed a penalty of 1,000,000 Fishing Units on the trawler, equivalent to $1,833,000,000 (one billion eight hundred thirty-three million pesos).

This case confirms that the control architecture implemented at the beginning of the year is producing concrete results without the need for physical boardings on the high seas. With this ruling, according to data published by the specialized website Pescare , four foreign vessels have now been sanctioned in 2026 under the same electronic testing procedure.

The proof of the crime: 0.49 miles at a "snail's pace"

The background of the case dates back to March 16, 2026. On that occasion, the Coast Guard System of the Argentine Naval Prefecture detected the Hai Xing 2 (IMO 1124009) operating within the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), at the latitude of the San Jorge Gulf (maritime space shared by the provinces of Chubut and Santa Cruz).

The vessel traveled at an average speed of 4.3 knots and covered approximately 0.49 nautical miles within jurisdictional waters. Kinetic analysis of its route (changes in course, position, and speed) allowed for the reconstruction of an indisputable trawling pattern. All administrative proceedings and the formulation of charges were carried out using digital evidence provided by the Maritime Authority, without the need for a coast guard vessel to physically intercept the vessel.

Provision 20/2026: The instrument that closed the "gray areas"

This sanction is a direct consequence of Provision SSRAyP No. 20/2026 , promoted by the Undersecretary of Aquatic Resources and Fisheries, Juan Antonio López Cazorla . As highlighted in Pescare 's journalistic coverage, this regulation was the result of technical work in a working group with fishing captains and Maritime Traffic authorities of the Argentine Naval Prefecture, designed to eradicate the evasive maneuvers historically used by illegal fleets.

Issued on February 3, 2026, the provision establishes indisputable objective parameters:

With this regulation, speed and trajectory went from being mere "suspicions" to becoming objective, reliable and legally valid proof , giving the National Directorate of Fisheries Coordination and Control the legal basis to punish remote incursion.

International consequences: From the flag of Vanuatu to that of Tanzania

The Argentine detection had direct diplomatic repercussions. At the time of the infraction, the Hai Xing 2 was operating under a flag of convenience from Vanuatu. However, on April 9, 2026, the International Ship Registry of that island nation announced the cancellation of the vessel's registration (along with those of the fishing vessels Bao Feng and Bao Win ), citing a "zero tolerance" policy toward Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing to protect the prestige of its flag.

Despite this deregistration, the underworld of the international fishing industry allowed the vessel to quickly find legal refuge. According to a report by Pescare , international maritime databases currently identify the trawler as being registered under the Tanzanian flag (MMSI 677046900 and call sign 5IM569), with the Zanzibar-based firm East Africa Fishery Co. Ltd. listed as the owner.

However, its IMO number 1124009 —the mathematical and unalterable identity of the hull granted after its construction in 2025— was the guiding thread that allowed the Argentine State to maintain the file and apply the sanction to the actual shipbuilding structure.

A total of $4.533 billion that returns to control and science

With the sanction against the Hai Xing 2 , the total amount of fines levied against foreign vessels during the first eight months of 2026 exceeds $4.533 billion pesos . The list of vessels sanctioned this year includes:

1. Bao Feng: Sanctioned for his January 10 raid. He set a historic precedent by successfully collecting over $1.262 million in fines and $799,000 in operating expenses without physical capture.

2. Bao Win: Sanctioned jointly with Bao Feng for a combined amount exceeding $2.7 billion.

3. Coimbra: Portuguese-flagged trawler detected in April after entering 700 meters into the EEZ (whose fine awaits official publication of the amount in pesos).

4. Hai Xing 2: Penalized with $1.833 million (1,000,000 Fishing Units).

A central aspect of this sanctioning process is the allocation of funds. According to Article 43 of the Federal Fisheries Law (Law 24,922), the money actually collected goes into the National Fisheries Fund (FONAPE) . By law, up to 25% of these resources can be used to finance INIDEP's scientific campaigns and up to 20% for equipment, patrols, and operational control of the sea by the Coast Guard and the Navy.

In this way, the economic value illegally extracted from the Argentine fishing grounds is transformed into direct funding to strengthen surveillance and research on the same maritime space that was attacked.

By Agenda Malvinas (With information from the specialized website Pescare )